Birds of a Bat
by ResistTheEmpire
Summary: Nathan Bowen has become another teen-aged sidekick to the Dark Knight of Gotham City alongside his best friend and fellow partner Dick Grayson, also known as Robin.
1. Birds of a Bat

**Hey guys, it's Resist bringing you another Young Justice story. If you have read my other Young Justice story I promise I have another chapter in the works and that I'm sorry for those waiting for the chapter as it has been about a year since I posted anything. I had a family matter that I don't wish to talk about and life in general has also been busy, but I think I can start updating again. Also, anyone who is reading this and is also reading my other Young Justice story, I may be putting that one up for adoption as I kinda am at a roadblock and my Green Lantern knowledge was limited going in and I probably shouldn't have done that kind of hero to start my Young Justice fic career with. Instead I should have done something I know a little more about and am more comfortable with so enter this story. As for the possible adoption, please PM me and just give me a little explanation about where you would take the story and etc.**

 **Hope you guys enjoy the first two chapters of this new one and if the beginning sounds a little familiar to some of you I apologize cause I liked this intro and didn't really want to change it for this story. Just tweaked it for obvious reasons.  
**

 **Don't own Young Justice or anything DC related. Don't even own the hero name of my OC, just the guy under the mask.**

 **Also, one last thing then I promise it's on to the story. I'm trying a slightly different writing style and when I mean slight it's slight. Basically it's still gonna be like my other Young Justice story but I'm going to try and make it more centered around my OC, so also let me know how you guys like it. You might not even recognize a difference either, so if you don't I apologize for making you read this paragraph for nothing. Now on to the story...**

YOUNG JUSTICE

BIRDS OF A BAT

 _ **GOTHAM CITY  
**_

 _ **April 18, 22:45 EDT (ABOUT TWO YEARS EARLIER)**_

"That movie was great!" exclaimed a very happy thirteen year old girl, who had her right hand intertwined with her boyfriend's left.

Her boyfriend was Nathan Bowen. Nathan wore dark gray shorts that had a bright green stripe down the sides and a black shirt that said 'WAYNE INDUSTRIES' on the front in bright green. Nathan, like his girlfriend Lily Martin, was thirteen but was turning fourteen shortly. Nathan was slightly taller than Lily, standing at 5'7" and weighed about 140 lbs. He had hazel eyes and faded raven colored hair with slightly tanned skin. Lily was 5'5" and had slightly lighter skin than Nathan and was wearing a white shirt with a sport jacket over top with blue shorts.

He was walking her home, well more like they were jogging as they were running late and last time they were late Lily's parents scolded the two, "Think they'll be mad?" he asked as they rounded a corner. Lily shrugged at his question and then gave him a smirk, "Why? You afraid of what dad is going to do to you?" she asked laughing at Nathan's scared expression on his face.

Lily stopped all of a sudden, causing Nathan to put the brakes on and double back some, "Let's head down here. It'll put us next to my street," Lily spoke, pointing down the alleyway.

Nathan looked down the alleyway and instantly got scared a little, "I don't think that's a good idea Lils" Nathan answered, his voice rather hesitant, but followed her into the alleyway. The alley made a left turn around a building. As the two made the said turn, a slim figured man stepped in front of them with a tattooed S on his neck. He then shouted, "Valuables now!" The man ordered them pulling out a handgun from his inside jacket pocket. One glance told them that this mugger was no professional and that he was new at this, but the gun he had pointed at the two teens was convincing enough for them.

Nathan emptied out his pockets from his shorts that had whatever money he had left from their date to the movies in it, then raised his hands in the air. Lily calmly put her hand inside her jacket and was reaching for her phone to also put down with the money that she dropped down with Nathan's and the mugger instantly panicked and fired shots. Nathan felt a sharp pain in his shoulder before collapsing on the ground and blacking out next to Lily who also laid on the ground.

 _ **GOTHAM CITY**_

 _ **April 19, 8:30 EDT**_

Nathan shot straight up, and instantly felt something pushing him back down. Regaining his eye sight, he realized he was in the hospital and that his father, Percy Bowen, was pushing him back down into his bed. Glancing around the room he saw his mother, Miya Bowen, and his best friends Dick and Barbara.

"Where's Lily?" he asked right away.

"The doctors did all they could honey," his mother answered softly. Nathan felt a mixture of pain, sadness and anger at what his mother told him. "Well they could have done better," he angrily shot back, shooting up from his bed to look at his parents. He directed that sentence towards the doctors, but inwardly he yelled that at himself. He could have done better. Done better to persuade her not to take the alleyway, done better to protect her from the mugger. A hand then rested on his shoulder and he instantly looked at it and followed to its owner, Barbara Gordon. He looked up at her and Dick with his angered face, but it instantly went away and now showed sadness and looked apologetic. When he saw them, both their faces showed worry, sympathy and concern when he exploded. He turned back to his parents and gave them an apology then laid back down in his bed.

"How long was I out?" he asked, rubbing his head a little.

"About ten hours" replied Dick Grayson, sadness evident in his voice.

"Paramedics said you were already out when they got there," Barbara spoke, also in the calm tone like his mother.

Just then the doctor followed by Commissioner James Gordon entered the room. The doctor asked for everyone to leave the room but that they could come back in when he was finished checking on Nathan and after the Commissioner was done talking to him. The doctor after finishing left so Gordon could begin to talk with Nathan about last night

"Mr. Gordon, sir" acknowledged the boy in the hospital bed, giving the Commish a nod of his head.

"Please son, drop the formalities you're one of my daughter's best friends, and I've told you to call me Jim" answered Gordon, who's voice also had sympathy for the young boy, "I just have a few basic questions for you, if you're up to them" he said, taking a seat next to Nathan's bed.

 _ **GOTHAM CITY**_

 _ **July 4, 11:45 (PRESENT DAY)**_

"Naaaaathan?!" Barbara spoke, snapping her fingers. The fifteen year old boy, who when he stood was 5'10", 160 lbs, and now because of his 'extracurricular' activity with Dick Grayson, had a slight lean, and well-toned body, shook his head getting his bearings back giving his friend a questioning look, "What?" he asked, taking a sip of his milkshake in front of him. Barbara, Dick, and Nathan were at their favorite café at one of the outside tables.

"You zoned out. What were you thinking of?" she asked, she gave him a look like she already knew. Barbara and Dick were the front runners of helping Nathan through his situation two years ago. Nathan now, was better and the incident barely bothered him as much as it used to, which he owed to Dick for getting him involved in the 'extracurricular' activity, but the memory would sometimes resurface every once and a while. Nathan looked to his right at his other friend, who just sipped on his milkshake and pretended to look at his phone. He then looked back at Barbara.

"Today's the day," Nathan mumbled, while taking another sip. Dick heard and smiled slightly, which Nathan saw, but he then turned his attention back to his red, haired friend, who now had one eyebrow raised at him waiting for his answer, which he thought was cute, "Just what I'm doing for vacation," he answered Barbara.

"Oh? And what would that be?" she prodded, now narrowing her eyes ever so slightly, waiting for his reply.

"The mountain climbing trip with Bruce and Dick next week," he spoke as he heard Dick choke and spit out his milkshake and cough, "I totally forgot about that," Dick said, playing along with Nathan.

"Oh yeah?" she questioned again, Nathan nodded, which got her attention, "Where at?"

"In the mountains Barbara. Seriously where else do people go mountain climbing?" Nathan sarcastically answered, earning himself an eye roll then a narrowed eyed look from Barbara and a chuckle from Dick. Nathan wouldn't admit this but he would tease Barbara to get her to roll her eyes, get angered, frustrated or her mock angered look on purpose cause lately he started to think her look was cute. He would make sure not to go too far though, cause she scared him sometimes and he liked his head where it was.

Just then his phone buzzed on the table. Looking at it he inwardly sighed, he and Dick stood up at the same time from the table they were sitting at with Barbara giving them each a look, "Sorry Babs we got to jet" explained Nathan, "Bruce is ready for us to help set up for the cook out he's having tonight. You're welcome to come if you want" Nathan offered, while Dick who was off to the side raised an eye brow at Nathan.

"I'd love to, but I'll pass," she answered, "Dad and I are having a cook out tonight. You know," she sighed, "if he doesn't get called away," she said also standing up and grabbing her milkshake.

"Don't worry about it Babs. Besides, Batman and his duo of sidekicks can take care of the city and give your dad a break. We'll text you later and make up for ditching you tonight. These things Bruce plans usually don't work out anyway or don't last long because of work," Nathan said as he and Dick each gave her a hug and started to walk away, "See you later Babs," they both said as they rounded the corner of the café, waving to their friend. Once out of ear shot they took off to the real reason their phones buzzed.

"Why did Freeze pick today of all days to urgh…" Nathan groaned.

 **Alright guys so there's the first chapter and the second chapter should be also posted by the time you're actually reading this. I wanted to get two chapters posted since some or most of you have already read this backstory that I used for the other and liked so much that it actually fit for this character as well and was better then anything new I was coming up with.**

 **If anyone also has a better title for the story besides 'Birds of a Bat' let me know either by review or PM and I'll change it to something better.**

 **Give me a PM if you're interested in possibly adopting the other story from me and also type a review about what you think about this one. Also, any ideas you have for this new story also PM me cause I'm more than willing to try and work them in.**


	2. Independence Day

**Chapter 2 folks. Enjoy!**

 ** **Don't own Young Justice or anything DC related. Don't even own the hero name of my OC, just the guy under the mask.****

YOUNG JUSTICE

INDEPENDENCE DAY

 _ **Gotham City**_

 _ **July 4, 12:00 EDT**_

Independence Day in Gotham City was bright and sunny and the cities inhabitants were in the park enjoying the weather and having picnics. One man, with his wife and daughter, was grilling not too far from where his family sat at the picnic table. The man's daughter came over to the grill ready for her food when disaster struck.

A dim technological charging sound was heard, before a louder pitched blast pierced through the air in the area of the park the family was in, followed by the sounds of screaming people running past the family, who looked on at what was happening. Blasts of ice ripped through the park freezing the people that were running away. Just then an ice platform grew at the top of the rock structure by the onlooking family. The three family members looked up at the recently formed ice platform only to see Mr. Freeze appear at the edge and look down upon them.

Out in the distance, unknown to Mr. Freeze, two heroes stealthily just arrived on scene to witness what was about to happen next.

"Enjoying the family time?" he said aiming his freeze cannon at the family, the cannon charged and let loose an ice blast hitting the family, trapping them in an ice ramp, "My family has other plans," he spoke before sliding down the ramp of ice that the family was now encased in.

Freeze eyed up a group of fleeing civilians, but before his freeze cannon could charge and fire, a batarang slammed into the side of his freeze cannon, knocking Freeze off balance, canceling his shot at the fleeing civilians.

"Batman," Mr. Freeze began, turning around to face the Caped Crusader, "I was wondering when," but he stopped when he saw nothing. A cackle echoed the area of the park Freeze was in. Mr. Freeze turned to find the source of the laughter, when suddenly a pair of black boots slammed into Freeze's glass helmet from above, then propelled themselves upward knocking the villain down onto the park ground. Robin, the Boy Wonder, in his usual red, black and yellow costume, twisted in mid-air and landed so that he was facing Mr. Freeze. He then pulled out two birdarangs from his utility belt and sent them at Freeze's glass helmet, successfully cracking it.

"Oh. Boy Wonder," Freeze spoke clearly not happy that Batman himself didn't show, "Where's the other Bat Brat?" Freeze asked as he stood up, aiming his freeze cannon at Robin. The cannon began to charge, but another birdarang came out of nowhere and lodged itself inside the freeze cannon. A beeping was heard from the cannon that steadily increased before an explosion came from the cannon. When the smoke disappeared, Freeze's left arm was encased in ice, and standing next to Robin was another slightly older teen who was wearing a similar costume to the Boy Wonder. He too wore a red tunic that stretched down to about halfway down his thigh, but it had long, red sleeves unlike his partner's which were short, black sleeved. He wore red tights with a black black cape, gloves, boots, and a simple black domino mask that make his eyes become opaque and hidden like the Boy Wonder, and on his left pectoral area of his red tunic stood his symbol. It was a round black disc, like Robin's, but was outlined in yellow with a thinner black trim around the yellow, and had a symbol of a yellow bird head inside the disc.

"It's Red Robin," the sidekick sighed, "I know I didn't put much effort into the whole 'original name thing'," he said using his hands to mimic quotation marks when referring to the originality of his name, "but seriously, Bat Brat?" Red Robin sarcastically chastised.

"The Bat sent you two to drag me off to prison?" Freeze spoke, pulling out a handgun sized ice gun from his side, "Frankly, I'm underwhelmed" Freeze continued.

"That's great" Red Robin spoke impatiently, looking at Mr. Freeze, but watching Batman position himself out of sight from Freeze on the very ice platform that Freeze made earlier.

"But we're kinda in a hurry here" Robin chimed in impatiently as well.

"Kids," Freeze spoke, letting out a sigh, "always in such a rush. You two need to chill."

"Not talking to you," both Robin and Red Robin spoke in a sing-song voice at the same time.

Mr. Freeze looked slightly confused at first until Red Robin used his pointer finger to point in the direction of his ice platform he used earlier. Realizing who they were actually talking too, Freeze whipped around in that direction only to realize he was too late. Batman had already jumped from platform and was in mid-air, his form half blocking the sun. Batman came down on top of Mr. Freeze, throwing a punch to the cracked dome of Mr. Freeze with his black glove covered fist, successfully knocking the villain out cold (no pun was actually intended) on the Gotham Park grass.

"Let's go, today's the day. I got twenty bucks riding on the fact that we get there before KF does" Red Robin complained to Batman, who just gave his signature glare to his teen pupil.

"Batman," spoke the voice of the commissioner from behind Batman, causing the Caped Crusader to turn around as an annoyed sigh escaped the mouths of both his protégés. Batman gave them a quick glare again over his shoulder before turning his attention back to Gordon.

"Commissioner" Batman acknowledged. Walking up to Batman and the two teen heroes was Commissioner James Gordon from his GCPD squad car, along with other officers, who fanned out around the area.

"What happened here?" Gordon asked. Red Robin had only been doing this for a little less than two years and he could guess all the questions that came out of the Commissioner's mouth before he even spoke them.

"Freeze," Batman answered, "He attacked the park and froze some civilians," Batman continued to speak with Gordon, who then turned his back to look at the frozen Gothamites. Red Robin looked over at the frozen people to see officers already working on unthawing them, so he turned his attention back to his mentor's conversation with Barbara's father.

"Not sure why, but when I figure it out I'll let you know" Batman finished

"Well," Gordon sighed, "We'll work on this from," he turned to face Batman, only to see he and both his protégés were gone, "…our end" he finished giving a sigh.

 _ **WASHINGTON D.C.**_

 _ **July 4, 14:00 EDT**_

Batman, Robin and Red Robin arrived in D.C. and made it to the spot that the rest of their friends and fellow sidekicks would meet before walking to the Hall of Justice. Turns out when they walking to the meeting place, they arrived at the same time that Green Arrow and Speedy did, as well as Aquaman and Aqualad.

Not noticing Kid Flash and the fastest man alive yet Red Robin couldn't contain the, "Yes!" that escaped his mouth. Batman glared and the rest gave him questionable looks except for Robin who knew why. Looking at the others Red Robin explained, "I bet KF I'd beat him here" he said and all the questionable faces turned into smirks and smiles.

The three pairs of superheroes and their protégés all the looked toward The Hall and Batman placed his hands on both of his sidekicks' shoulders, "Today's the day" he said, giving them each an approving smile, which they both knew was rare.

"Welcome to the Hall of Justice" Green Arrow said.

"Headquarters of the Justice League," Aquaman said, finishing the protégés introduction to The Hall.

"Oh, man!" they all heard. Red Robin smirked and turned around to see Flash and Kid Flash speeding up behind them, "I just lost twenty bucks!" he exclaimed, "I knew we'd be the last ones here" he frustratingly mumbled.

– **YOUNG JUSTICE THEME—**

As the Leaguers walked the younger heroes up to The Hall of Justice, the reporters and fans started going nuts. Red Robin gave a small smile when he saw two kids dressed like Batman and Superman.

"Is that Batman?"

"I see Flash and Flash Jr!"

"His name is Speedy. Duh."

"No. Speedy's Green Arrow's sidekick."

"Well that makes no sense."

"It's the Wonder Boys"

"Boy Wonders," someone groaned correcting the previous person.

Everyone ignored the reporters and fans taking pictures and trying to ask them questions. The sidekicks were focused on one goal and that was becoming members of the Justice League.

As they continued their walk up to The Hall of Justice, Green Arrow leaned down to his protégé's ear, "Ready to see the inner sanctum?" he asked Speedy.

"Born that way" he replied with no hesitation whatsoever and with a hint of excitement.

Aqualad looking at the exterior of The Hall spoke, "I'm glad we're all here" he commented.

"Have all five sidekicks ever been in the same place at the same time?" Kid Flash asked the Boy Wonders who were walking to his right.

"Don't call us sidekicks, not after today" Speedy snapped at KF's comment. Red Robin frowned at Speedy's rude answer to KF's question. Sure he hated being called a sidekick, but that's what he was and he liked following Batman and Robin around Gotham on patrols. Sure being the newb meant he messed up and Batman would scold him for it, but he worked hard to get things right and Batman knew that. Red Robin looked up to Batman, heck he wanted to be Batman.

"Sorry," Kid Flash muttered at Speedy's harsh interjection, "First time at The Hall. I'm a little overwhelmed."

"You're overwhelmed, Freeze was underwhelmed, why isn't anyone ever just whelmed?" he questioned, picking up his pace.

The grand front doors of The Hall opened and the protégés and their mentors walked in and were immediately greeted by the giant bronze statues of the founding members of The Justice League.

Red Robin saw Robin's mouth gapping at the statues and elbowed him in his shoulder, "Overwhelmed much?" he asked, smirk on his face as Robin only nodded his head in response to his partner's question.

They moved forward and in front of them heavy metal doors that read 'Authorized Personnel Only' opened revealing Martian Manhunter and the android Red Tornado.

"Robin, Red Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, Kid Flash, Welcome," spoke Martian Manhunter before he and Tornado turned and walked back inside the doors along with the sidekicks and mentors. As they walked through the doors Kid Flash held out his fist and both Robin and Red Robin all bumped fists.

"You now have unlimited access to the gym, our fully stocked galley, and of course our library," Manhunter spoke as he led them into said library. Red Robin gave out a whistle as he walked in. The room was huge and books covered all four sides of the wall. Near the end of the room, were comfy chairs and a table. At the far wall was a massive computer and above the computer was a giant communication screen. Red Robin knew Robin would be all over the computer. Sure, he knew computers and how to hack, but Robin was way better than he was, but he kept in practice so he could get better at the skill, and not forget what he already knew.

Flash turned around to the sidekicks as they approached another door at the end of the room with 'Authorized Personnel Only' written on it, "Make yourselves at home" he said arms spread wide gesturing to the room. Robin, Kid Flash and Red Robin instantly plopped onto chairs while Aqualad and Speedy remained standing.

Batman then turned to face the five protégés and to also address to his fellow Leaguers, "Quick debrief to discuss the coincidence of four ice villains attacking on the same day. We shouldn't be long."

Batman than turned back around facing another pair of metal doors that read 'Authorized Personnel Only' as did the rest of the Leaguers present. Then they all looked up and a small mechanical device that looked like an eyeball drop down from a concealed location in the wall. It then proceeded to scan them and announced who they were as it did so.

 **[Recognized: Batman, zero-two; Aquaman, zero-six; Flash, zero-four; Green Arrow, zero-eight; Martian Manhunter, zero-seven; Red Tornado, one-six.]** With the scan finished, the two doors then opened allowing the League members access to the room inside.

"That's it?" asked an angered Speedy, which caused the six heroes turn around and give him their attention, "You promised us a real look inside, not a glorified backstage pass," he finished, crossing his arms, anger still evident in his voice.

"It's a first step," Aquaman answered calmly, "You've been given access few others get."

"Oh, really?" Speedy answered angrily, gesturing up to a glass window where on the other side was photographers snapping pictures and more fans, some with video cameras, "Who cares which side of the glass we're on?!"

"Roy," Green Arrow spoke calmly stepping forward trying to calm his sidekick down, "You just need to be patient."

"What I need," Speedy angrily addressed his mentor stressing the last word, "is respect," he continued stressing his last word again. He then turned to face his fellow peers in crime fighting, "They're treating us like kids. Worse, like sidekicks. We deserve better than this," he finished looking at his friends for back up.

The four other sidekicks looked at each other and exchanged a look before looking back at Speedy. Red Robin was torn on the subject Speedy was talking about. Red Robin wanted the truth from Batman and the rest of The League for that matter, it's what he and the original dynamic duo fought for, along with justice, but he also understood why Batman and others kept secrets from them. They just wanted to protect him and his friends, like how he and Dick leave Barbara and their other friends in the dark about their night activities.

"You're kidding right?" the young archer asked looking at his friends not understanding why, "You're playing their game? Why?" he yelled at them, "Today was supposed to be the day, step one in becoming full-fledged members of The League!"

"Well, sure, but I thought step one was a tour of the HQ," Kid Flash spoke wearily, looking at the others for reassurance. Red Robin nodded his head giving the speedster his attention for a few seconds before returning to the angered Speedy.

"Except The Hall isn't The League's real HQ!" he shouted. The four sidekicks' jaws dropped and Red Robin looked at his mentor, but as usual Batman had a stoic face, "I bet they never told you it's just a false front for tourists and a pit stop for catching zeta beam teleporter tubes to the real thing, an orbiting satellite called The Watchtower."

Red Robin could see all the glares the league members were giving to Green Arrow, minus Red Tornado cause well he couldn't. Green Arrow looked back at Flash and Batman, who crossed his arms, "I know, I know, but I thought maybe we could make an exception." He only received narrowed eyes from Batman, "Or not."

"You are not helping your cause here son. Stand down or" Aquaman said stepping forward to the red cladded archer.

"Or what?" Speedy started standing his ground against the king of the seas, "You'll send me to my room? And I'm not your son! I'm not even his," he said looking at Green Arrow, "I thought I was his partner, but not anymore." Speedy then took off his yellow hat and threw at the feet of Green Arrow on the ground, causing the other sidekicks to drop jaws again. Red Robin was switching between Speedy and Green Arrow, hoping they could get him to calm down.

Speedy turned and started walking towards the doors on the other side of the library. He walked past Robin, Red Robin, Kid Flash and Aqualad, "Guess they're right about you four," he spoke making eye contact with all of them, who were turning their heads, watching him leave, "You're not ready" he finished as he kept walking towards the door. The four teens stood up and watched him leave out the doors.

As soon as Speedy left, an alarm sounded in the library and seconds later on the comm screen above the computer was the Man of Steel himself, "Superman to Justice League. There's been an explosion at Project Cadmus. It's on fire," he informed the leaguers in the library.

"I've had my suspicions about Cadmus. This may prove the perfect opportunity to" but Batman couldn't finish as another incoming message sounded. Popping up on the communication screen in a smaller window was Zatara in a slightly panicked voice, "Zatara to Justice League. The sorcerer Wotan is using the Amulet of Attan to blot out the sun. Requesting full league response."

"Superman? Inquired Batman, looking up at the Kryptonian on the screen.

"It's a small fire," Superman answered, "Local authorities have it under control."

"Then Cadmus can wait," Batman decided, pressing a button on the keyboard for the computer, "All Leaguers rendezvous at Zatara's coordinates. Batman out."

The four sidekicks approached Batman, who turned around to address the protégés, while the others made for the mission. "Stay put" the Caped Crusader ordered. His two teen heroes exchanged looks before beginning their assault of questions.

"What?" exclaimed Red Robin.

"Why?" Robin asked, wanting to help. They all did. They were ready to prove themselves.

Aquaman and Flash stopped, flanking Batman, "This is a league mission," Aquaman explained.

"We are leaguers," Red Robin shot back, holding up his access card.

"You're not trained -" Flash interjected.

"Since when?!" Kid Flash interrupted.

"I meant your not trained to work as part of this team," the red speedster gestured to Batman, Aquaman and himself.

"There will be other missions. When you're ready" Aquaman said.

"But for now," Batman started, narrowing his eyes at the sidekicks, but he mostly was looking at his own two students, "Stay put" he ordered. The Leaguer's then left the room and the doors slammed shut.

"When we're ready?!" spoke an angered Kid Flash, "How are ever suppose to be ready when they treat us like…" Kid Flash spoke pacing back and forth searching for words, while waving his arms around angrily.

"Sidekicks?" suggested Red Robin.

"Yes! Like sidekicks," Kid Flash exclaimed agreeing with the word choice.

"My mentor, my king," lamented Aqualad, "I thought he trusted me."

"Trust? They don't even trust us with the basics!" Kid Flash exclaimed, "They have a secret HQ in space!" Kid Flash shouted, stretching upward and gesturing up to the sky with his arms in front of Aqualad.

"What else aren't they telling us?" Aqualad questioned.

"I have a better question," Robin stated, gaining the looks of the other three, "Why didn't we leave with Speedy?" he asked. At the mention of the archer everyone frowned and KF and Red Robin crossed their arms.

"I have a question," Red Robin stated, "What is Project Cadmus?"

"Don't know," Robin answered, but he then got a devious smile on his face, "but I can find out." He walked up to the computer and started to type away on the keyboard.

" **Access Denied"** the computer spoke as Robin finished typing.

"Heh. Wanna bet?" he challenged the computer. He then tried a different approach, which worked like a charm. The screen above the computer changed as Robin hacked away with Red Robin watching to see if he could learn anything.

"Whoa! How are you doing that?" asked Kid Flash.

"Same system as the Batcave?" asked Red Robin, watching his partner hack away at the Justice League computer, which was something he never thought he would actually see.

"Heh. Yup," smirked Robin and the two exchanged a fist bump. Robin then hit the enter button and the computer spoke again, this time with good news, **"Access Granted,"** it spoke before it flashed **'Opening File'** and in seconds the Project Cadmus file appeared on screen.

"All right. Project Cadmus," Robin spoke reading the file.

"Genetics Lab here in D.C." read Red Robin, but he then frowned.

"But that's all there is," Robin spoke Red Robin's thoughts. Robin then looked at his partner and friends, "But if Batman is suspicious" he stated.

"Then maybe we should investigate?" Red Robin suggested with a smirk present on his face.

"Solve their case before they do," mused a smiling Aqualad, "It would be poetic justice."

"Hey," chuckled Robin, "They're all about justice."

"But they said stay put" sighed Aqualad.

"For the blotting out the sun mission," Roibn pointed out finding a loophole in Batman's orders, "Not this" he stated smiling.

"Besides," Red Robin interjected, "We stay put we end up in trouble for hacking their computer. In for a penny, in for a pound" he stated giving Aqualad a smirk.

"Wait," Kid Flash said, grabbing RR's shoulder and turning the hero to face him, "Are you going to Cadmus? Because if you're going, I'm going" the three younger teens all looked to the oldest of the group for his input, giving him hopeful grins.

"Just like that? Were a team on a mission?" Aqualad asked seriously.

"We didn't come for a play date" Robin smiled back at the Atlantean. Red Robin watched as a smirk spread its way across Aqualad's face.

 _ **LINE BREAK**_

Sounds of sirens filled the air as the heroes neared their destination. Two scientists in a room, that was adjacent to the fire, waved their arms at the firefighter team on the ground, who were shouting up to them on a megaphone, telling them to stay put and that they would get them out. An explosion, near the scientists, then rocked the building and the force knocked the scientists out the window and they began falling to the ground.

Red Robin watched as a yellow blur then sped up the wall of the building and grabbed the two falling scientists. Kid Flash put them onto the roof before he lost his momentum and slid down the wall till he was able to catch onto a windowsill on the second floor.

The other three heroes then arrived on scene. "It's what's his name?!" shouted one of the fireman, pointing at the dangling Kid Flash, "Flash Boy!" he shouted.

Red Robin let out a chuckle at the situation KF was in. "So smooth" Robin commented.

"Does he always have to run ahead?" Aqualad chastised the yellow and red speedster, "We need a plan. We… Robin? Red Robin?" Aqualad looked around, before hearing two sets of laughs coming from his surrounding area.

Aqualad looked back over at the firefighter crew and saw Robin and Red Robin front flip in the air onto a red firetruck that had its ladder extended up to the second floor of the building. They each pulled out their grapple guns and fired. Their shots connected to the top of the ladder, underneath where a guy was in his bucket spraying water at the fire. They then used their momentum and swung, aiming for the open window where Kid Flash was dangling from.

Robin swung right into the room, while Red Robin landed on the ledge and reached down and pulled Kid Flash up onto the ledge and the two entered the room finding Robin already at work typing on a computer, "All good?" Red Robin asked KF, who nodded, pulling out a drawer to search the files he found. Red Robin then smirked, "Flash Boy" he added, causing KF to grumble at him. Red Robin found another filling cabinet and pulled out the bottom drawer and bent down to start digging.

Just then Aqualad landed into the room, "Appreciate the help" Aqualad grumbled to the others.

"You handled it. Besides, we're here to investigate. Poetic justice, remember?" Robin answered, before turning back to his computer screen.

"I hate sifting through files," grumbled Red Robin, "It's always the last folder," he added, pulling out a random folder and opening it. Finding nothing suspicious he put it back in its proper spot. He saw Aqualad leave the room and go out into the hallway before he pulled up another folder, but before he could read it, he heard an elevator ding.

He looked out the door to Aqualad, who had a questionable look on his face, "There was something in the…"

"That's a clue," Red Robin interrupted, before putting the folder back and closing the drawer. He then went over to join Aqualad, followed by Kid Flash out in the hallway.

"Elevators should be locked down," commented Kid Flash. Robin then joined the others in the hallway and they all made their way quietly too the elevator.

"This is wrong," Robin stated as he and Red Robin pulled up their holo-computers from their left glove.

"Whoa," Red Robin commented.

"Thought so. High-speed express elevator. It doesn't belong on a two-story building," Robin read from his holographic computer.

"Neither does what I saw," Aqualad said stepping forward. He placed his hands in between the elevator doors and with a grunt pried them open. Crouching under each side of Aqualad, Robin and Red Robin looked down the never ending and dark, shadowy elevator shaft.

"That might be why they need an express elevator," Red Robin said glancing at Robin. He then took out his grappling gun and fired at the ceiling. The grapple latched onto the ceiling.

"Might be" Robin replied before doing the same as his partner and then jumped into the dark elevator shaft disappearing from sight. Aqualad jumped and grabbed onto the Robin's rope and followed suit. Red Robin looked at Kid Flash, "Going down?" he asked before he too jumped into the never-ending shaft.

Air whipped around Red Robin's face and his cape fluttered behind him as he descended down. He then looked down seeing the outlining silhouettes of his partner and Aqualad. He looked ahead and could make out was looked like numbers, SL-15 and so on. He then looked down and noticed he was catching up to Robin, like he wasn't descending anymore.

When he caught up to them completely, he understood why. They had reached the end of the rope in the grapple guns, "Huh, first time that's ever happened," Red Robin commented.

"You said it. At the end of our rope" Robin added, swinging lightly to gain some momentum, Robin then launched himself toward the ledge and landing smoothly, followed by Aqualad. Red Robin then joined the two on SL-26 and swung lightly. Gaining enough momentum, he propelled himself over to the wall and slid down landing to the left of Robin. Kid Flash then swung over clasping onto the outstretched hand of Aqualad, who then brought him over to the ledge, where he hoisted himself up.

Robin took a seat on the ledge, and began to hack away, Red Robin who was standing off to the right of the door looked over Robin's shoulder and gave a small smirk. The gadgets Batman supplied them with were the best. He and Robin both had their gadgets customized for them. Sure, the gadgets did the hacking basically for you, which Red Robin was thankful for, but unlike him, Robin actually had the skill where he did not. Five grumpy Robin faces showed up on Robin's holo-computer showing that he was still hacking away, but as he continued the faces turned green and smirked. He too had that feature but left most of the hacking to the Boy Wonder.

"Bypassing security," Robin said, and once all the faces turned green, "There go!" he stated, giving Aqualad his que to open the door. Aqualad positioned himself and pried the doors open like he did before.

The teens stepped out of the elevator shaft and into a long hallway, "Welcome to Project Cadmus" Robin whispered.

Kid Flash was the first to act after the new development and sped off ahead.

"Kid, wait!" Aqualad barely had enough time to call out, reaching his arm out as he did so. Kid Flash however was long gone before Aqualad could really do anything about it.

The trio quickly followed suit after the teen speedster, but skidded to a halt when they caught up and watched as Kid Flash was almost trampled on by behemoth mammoth sized creature. These behemoth mammoths were gray skinned with dark spikes protruding from places all across their bodies, red lines and eyes, along with tusks and fists for front feet. Kid Flush luckily was able to roll out of the way in time and rejoined the others, who watched creature after creature march by them down a joining hallway.

One of the behemoth sized creatures had a gnome sized creature riding on its back. The small creature was a lighter grayish color and had four legs with black stripes on its head, and short horns with red eyes. It turned and looked at the four heroes and it's horns glowed a bright red.

"No. Nothing odd going on here," Aqualad whispered, using sarcasm for the first time today.

"Totally normal, Bats was so wrong" Red Robin quietly spoke sarcastically, watching the last of the mammoth sized creatures disappear down the hall.

After turning down another hallway, the teens came to a locked vault door that was blocking their path forward. Robin again pulled out his holo-computer and hacked into the security system again, unlocking the vault door.

"Ok, I'm officially whelmed" Robin muttered as the sidekicks took in the giant sized room. The side walls of the room had shelving that stretched all the way to almost the top of the room. On the shelving were more of those weird looking creatures, but these ones were inside cylinder shaped containers and looked more like bigger sized fireflies, except these bug things channeled electricity from their bodies that seemed to flow to a tall tower like structure that seemed to control the energy that the creatures gave off.

"This is how they hid this massive underground facility from the world. The real Cadmus isn't on the grid. It generates its own power with these… things" Kid Flash informed the group as he walked forward, gestured toward the firefly like creatures inside the giant cylinder-shaped structures, "It must be what they're bred for" he said looking at the creatures some more.

"Even the name is a clue," Aqualad told the others, "The Cadmus of myth created a new race by sowing dragons' teeth into the Earth."

"And this Cadmus creates new life too," agreed Robin, who, along with Red Robin then walked over to a computer terminal.

"Shall we find out why?" Red Robin asked as he flipped open a compartment on his left glove and pulled out a flash drive connected by a wire to his glove. Instantly after plugging it in, a holo-screen appeared, allowing RR to sift through the data, "They call them genomorphs," he explained to the class.

"Whoa," Robin exclaimed reading the file from over his partner's shoulder.

"Look at the stats on those things," Red Robin spoke up looking over the file, "Superstrength, telepathy, razor claws," Red Robin continued, now reading out the names, "G-Gnomes, G-Trolls, G-Elves, G-Dwarves, and G-Sprites" he read, looking at all the different types of genomorphs there were.

"These are living weapons!" Robin exclaimed, eyes wide.

"They're engineering an army," muttered Kid Flash darkly, "But for who?"

"Wait," Red Robin exclaimed flipping to a new file, "There's something else," the other three gathered around him also looking, "Project Kr." He said, but the data was heavily encrypted, triple encrypted to be exact, "Ugh! The file's triple-encrypted. I can't…"he said tapping his holo-screen several times in frustration.

"Don't move!" called out a commanding voice. They looked to their left to see… Guardian? Surrounded by several g-elves. "Wait. Robin, Red Robin, Aqualad, Kid Flash?"

"At least he got your name right," Robin smirked as they all stood around Red Robin, who chuckled at Robin's comment, who had started downloading Project Kr.

"I know you. Guardian, a hero" Aqualad commented toward the older hero.

"I do my best."

"Then what're you doing here?" Kid Flash asked him.

"I'm Chief of Security," which caused Red Robin to raise an eyebrow and glance in the heroes' direction, but was instantly brought back to his download by a beep, signaling it was complete, "You're trespassing, but we can call the Justice League, figure this out."

"You think The League is going to approve of you breeding weapons?!" Kid Flash snapped at Guardian, causing something to snap inside Guardian.

"Weapons? What are you… What have I… ugh," Guardian closed his eyes in pain and gripped his head, "My head," but then looked back up at the heroes with an angered face and pointed at them, "Take'em down hard no mercy!" he yelled. Instantly the g-elves moved in for the kill.

Robin and Red Robin reacted almost instantly. Red Robin moved around in front of Aqualad and Kid Flash and he and Robin both dropped smoke pellets on the ground, instantly filling the area with smoke.

Amidst the smoke and confusion, Red Robin pulled out his grapple gun and aimed for a cross beam up that ran above him. He fired his grapple gun and it latched onto the cross beam and he began to pull himself towards it. As pulled himself toward the beam, one of the g-elves grabbed onto his foot, "Ugh" he groaned and using his other foot kicked it in the face a few times before it finally let go and plummeted back to the ground, disappearing in the smoke. He then focused back on his grapple and before he hit the cross beam, he detached his grapple from the beam and used the momentum to propel himself forward out of harms way.

Landing on the ground in a roll, Red Robin jumped back up to his feet and booked it towards the elevator that was down a hall they passed on their way into the room. He rounded the corner to go down the hallway only to see Robin already there hacking the door, "How did you beat me?"

"If I told you, then I'd have to kill you," joked Robin as he hacked away.

"Bat protégés don't kill," Red Robin sarcastically responded to his friends sarcastic answer, "Unless it's for the remote for the giant TV," causing Robin and him to both smirk. "Hey, where's" Red Robin began as he looked behind him only to be met with a blur of yellow in his face.

"Way to be team players, Robs" he said glaring at the two.

"Weren't you right behind us?" asked Red Robin slightly confused why KF and Aqualad were so far behind him and Robin.

Just then, the red lights on the doors to the elevator turned green and the doors opened, allowing the three to jump in. Now they were waiting for their Atlantean friend, who just now rounded the corner with those g-elves and Guardian on his tail. Aqualad sprinted down the hall and rolled into the elevator and the doors closed just in time as the g-elves lunged for them, but only making contact with the elevator doors on the outside.

"We're heading down?" he asked as the yellow numbers, indicating the sub-levels, were increasing.

"Dude," Kid Flash snapped at the Boy Wonder, "Out is up," and for added emphasis he pointed up with his finger.

"Project Kr, it's down on sub-level fifty-two," Red Robin stated, crossing his arms at the speedster.

Aqualad gave a sigh and rubbed the back of his neck, "This is out of control. Perhaps," Aqualad paused, looking at his friends, "Perhaps we should contact The League."

There was a short moment of silence, before Red Robin spoke, "Not when were so close. We contact the League and we're dead, along with Cadmus,"

Before the others had time to respond, there was a ping and doors of the elevator opened, welcoming them to SL-52. "We are already here," shrugged Kid Flash, as Robin and Red Robin rushed out the elevator and took cover behind some barrels.

"Ok this is weird," commented Red Robin looking at the walls, as the speedster and Atlantean joined them. The walls unlike the previous sub-levels weren't metal. Instead it was a red organic looking material. Scattered on the wall were blueish colored orbs, but he couldn't see what was inside them, if anything for that matter.

"Which way?" Aqualad asked looking at his route options.

Robin pulled out one of his birdarang discs, "Yea, bizarre-looking hallway one?" he asked gesturing with his birdarang, "Or bizarre-looking hallway two?" gesturing with his other hand.

"Halt!" shouted a voice, coming down 'bizarre-looking hallway one'. A humanoid genomorph with large horns walked out to the middle of the hallway with his left arm stretched out in the direction of the teens. His horns glowed red and two barrels near him floated off the ground. Stretching his hand out, the barrels flew through the air, in the direction of the sidekicks. The young heroes dodged the canisters that then connected with the wall behind them exploding on impact, shaking the ground. Robin threw his birdarang at the humanoid, but he stopped it telekinetically and picked up two more barrels.

"Definitely bizarre-looking hallway two!" shouted Red Robin and he and the rest of the group started down the other hallway. The humanoid threw two more barrels at the group. Red Robin turned around and threw one of his own birdarangs that made contact with the one barrel, causing it and the other barrel to explode before it could reach them.

Kid Flash sped off a head of the rest of the group and when the group rounded the corner, Kid Flash was placing a canister between the two closing vault doors, stopping them from closing the entire way. Robin, followed by Red Robin and Aqualad jumped through the opening and when they were all inside, Aqualad being the last one, he kicked the canister, dislodging it, allowing the doors to slam shut.

"Door is disabled," Red Robin, who had his holo-computer up, told Aqualad, who walked his direction, "we're safe" he said letting out a sigh.

"We're trapped" Aqualad deadpanned, putting the concerned look back on Red Robin.

"Uh, guys. You'll want to see this," Kid Flash called out to his friends. The others walked over beside him and Kid Flash pressed a button on the console in front of him.

The lights came on and inside a large containment structure, "Whoa!" Robin said, voicing the inner thoughts of his comrades, who were all wide eyed at the sight in front of them.

The front of the containment cell was emblazoned with the letters Kr and inside was a black, haired teen in a white suit, with the iconic red shield and S inside it.

"Big 'K', little 'r', the atomic symbol for krypton," Kid Flash exclaimed, putting two and two together, "Clone?" he asked.

"Robin, hack" Aqualad ordered, turning to his younger teammate.

"Oh. Right, right" he said, quickly pulling out his flash drive again and plugging it into the console in front of him. He bypassed the security measures on the console and in no time, popping up on Robin's holo-screen was a zoomed in picture of the boy and Robin read off what he saw, "Weapon designation Superboy, a clone force-grown in… sixteen weeks?" Robin exclaimed wide eyed pointing on his screen, "from DNA acquired from Superman," he read looking back up at Aqualad.

"Stolen from Superman," Aqualad corrected.

"No way the big guy knows about this," Kid Flash pointed out as well.

"Solar suit allows him to absorb yellow sun radiation twenty-four/seven," Robin read off some more of what he saw.

"And these creatures," Aqualad pointed out on the console screen.

"G-gnomes" Red Robin answered, remembering the stats he saw earlier.

"They're telepathic, force feeding him an education," Robin read off from his holo-screen.

"And we can guess what else. They're making a slave out of, well, Superman's… son."

"Big blue isn't going to like that," Red Robin added, turning to Aqualad.

"Now we contact the league," Aqualad said touching the Atlantean A on his belt buckle. It glowed blue for a bit, but Aqualad eventually let go. Kid Flash, Robin and Red Robin all tried using their devices as well, but "No signal," Robin and Red Robin voiced simultaneously.

"We're in too deep," commented the yellow and red speedster, "Literally."

Red Robin looked back at the containment structure holding Superboy, he frowned, "We can't leave him like this."

"Set him free," agreed Aqualad, looking down at Robin, "Do it."

Robin touched his holo-screen a couple times, and the capsule opened with a hiss, letting out some steam as it did so. The boy's hand clenched up into fists, getting a glare from Red Robin, "Something's.." he started to say, but couldn't finish as the boy's blue eyes shot open and instantly launched himself at Aqualad, slamming him into the ground. Landing on top of the Atlantean, Superboy started to repeatedly punch Aqualad's face.

"Whoa! Hang on, Supey," Kid Flash exclaimed, groaning as he held back Superboy's arm.

Robin grabbed his head and neck, covering the boy's eyes, "We're on your side," Robin grunted out. Just then Superboy managed to remove his arm from the grip of Kid Flash. Once the boy's arm was free his fist connected with Kid Flash's face, sending the speedster hurling across the room into a glass, cylinder tube.

"I don't want to do this," Robin said, as he slammed a smoke pellet into Superboy's mouth. Superboy coughed out smoke and backed up just enough to give Aqualad the room he needed to kick the clone across the room into the console the heroes used earlier to set the Superman clone free from his cell. Robin then used that opening to pull out his high powered taser gun. Pulling the trigger, the electrical wires flew and latched onto the clone's chest, as Superboy stood up.

Looking down at the wires, Superboy flinched slightly, before grabbing the wires and giving them a tug, pulling Robin along with them. Superboy caught Robin with his free hand and slammed him on the ground. The clone wasted very little time as he then stood on the chest of Red Robin's partner.

Red Robin gave a deep growl and rushed the clone and leaped into the air, spinning as he did. He used this time to pull out one black circular disc. He went over the clone and as he passed, placed the disc on the clone's right shoulder. He then landed in a fighting stance facing the clone.

The clone began to charge at him, but a beeping was heard from the clone. The beeping became louder and quicker before the disc on his shoulder exploded spinning the clone in that direction to meet a head on charging Aqualad who was in mid-swing with a giant water hammer, emitting from his water bearer, "Enough!" he yelled as he swung at the clone, connecting with the clone's face. Red Robin ducked at the Superboy projectile and the clone smashed into the upright table he was resting on in his containment cell.

Red Robin then pulled his partner up, but Robin let out some groans and moans and fell back down. Red Robin then growled again and looked at the clone who was walking back toward him and Aqualad, who positioned himself just a head of the duo of gadget heroes, "We are trying to help you," Aqualad shouted, putting his hand out, gesturing for the clone to stop. Superboy however lunged and Aqualad and Red Robin dodged out of the way. Red Robin then attempted a roundhouse kick on the clone, but the clone grabbed the heroes foot before it made contact with his face, he spun the hero around and threw him towards Aqualad, knocking the two to the ground.

Red Robin, before unconsciousness overtook him, saw Aqualad stand back up only to be slammed head on into the wall behind them by a charging Superboy, and saw Superboy deliver one swing to the Atlantean's face before he blacked out completely.

Superboy looked around at the unconscious band of sidekicks and stepped over them as he made his way over to the disabled doors and pushed his hands in between the doors, successfully pried the doors open with one giant push. On the other side of the doors a man, dressed in a tan shirt and brown pants with a lab coat over top with a g-gnome perched on his right shoulder, walked up to the clone and surveyed the knocked-out heroes, leaning his head in the clone's direction whispered with a smirk on his face, "Attaboy."

 **So leave a review and also PM ideas if you have them cause like I said last chapter, I'm willing to work them in. I do have things planned but definitely will try my best to work in other ideas. Even if they are smaller side story arcs you want in cause I also have plans to tie in something else as well.**


	3. Fireworks

**Hey guys I'm back. Just wanted to say that I don't own anything DC in this story, though I wish I did. Just own my OC, Nathan Bowen.**

 **Enjoy**

YOUNG JUSTICE

FIREWORKS

 **PREVIOUSLY ON YOUNG JUSTICE**

Superboy looked around at the unconscious band of sidekicks and stepped over them as he made his way over to the disabled doors and pushed his hands in between the doors, successfully pried the doors open with one giant push. On the other side of the doors a man, dressed in a tan shirt and brown pants with a lab coat over top with a g-gnome perched on his right shoulder, walked up to the clone and surveyed the knocked-out heroes, leaning his head in the clone's direction whispered with a smirk on his face, "Attaboy."

– **YOUNG JUSTICE THEME–**

 _ **WASHINGTON D.C.**_

 _ **July 5, 00:01 EDT**_

" _Time runs short… You must awaken… You must awaken now!"_

The commanding voice echoed in all four restrained sidekicks. Red Robin came to, as did the others, and found he and his three friends were locked in pods, that looked similar to the one Superboy was in, though his didn't have restraints, and also unlike his, clear glass orbs were at the bottom of their pods. The orbs were also filled with some clear liquid.

Red Robin tested the restraints that bond his arms above his head and found very small give. He then saw the Superman clone, Superboy standing in front of them watching them, while glaring intently.

"What? What do you want?" yelled the muffled voice of Kid Flash from inside his pod. The clone's expression changed, but he continued to stare at the yellow and red speedster, "Quit starring. You're creeping me out," Kid Flash continued to snap at the teenaged Superman in front of him.

"Shut up!" snapped Red Robin at KF from his pod, "What you're doing is not a good idea," he continued.

"Yeah, how 'bout we not tick off the guy who can fry us with a look?" Robin asked, trying to also quite the speedster. He then flicked a lockpick out of his index finger on his right glove and went to work on the locks.

"I'd rather be stuck in a pod, then roasted by an angered Kryptonian clone," added Red Robin.

"We only sought to help you," Aqualad calmly stated, speaking to Superboy.

"Yeah. We free you, and you turn on us. How's that for grat," Kid Flash shot at the clone in front him, but he was interrupted by Aqualad, "Kid, please, be quiet now. I believe our new friend was not in full control of his actions," Aqualad spoke to the speedster, who's pod was next to his. Robin, while Aqualad was talking flicked his lockpick out of his glove as well and started to work on freeing himself.

"Wha- what if," Superboy began, "What if I wasn't?"

"He can talk?" Kid Flash asked shocked.

"Yes, _he_ can," Superboy said clenching a fist.

"Dude," Red Robin chastised the speedster, "We all know you can talk KF, but that doesn't always mean you should."

"Not like I said, 'it'," KF defended himself.

"The genomorphs taught you, telepathically," stated Red Robin, turning his attention to Superboy, while still fidgeting with his lock.

"They taught me much," Superboy answered, "I can read, write. I know the names of things."

"But have you seen them?" asked Robin, a hint of sadness in his voice, "Have they ever actually let you see the sky or the sun?"

"Images are implanted in my mind, but no. I have not seen them," he answered.

"Do you know what you are? Who you are?" asked Aqualad.

"I am the Superboy, a genomorph, a clone made from the DNA of the Superman, created to replace him should he perish, to destroy him should he turn from the light," the clone explained to the four captured sidekicks, who all exchanged nervous looks with each other. Red Robin turned back to the clone. All he could read off the clone was his small amounts of emotion the clone let slip through the cracks; his feelings of isolation and pain, but that's all he could get. Superboy was more of a weapon than a person at the moment, so there was less of the normal tells he used to read people.

"To be like Superman is a worthy aspiration, but like Superman, you deserve a life of your own beyond that solar suit, beyond your pod, beyond Cadmus," Aqualad spoke to the clone, who emotions exploded at his words.

"I live _because_ of Cadmus! It is my home!" he shouted back, raging.

"Your home is a test tube," Robin pointed out to the clone.

"Those images they implant in your mind," Red Robin continued, "You deserve better. You deserve to actually see the sun, to actu…," but Red Robin was cut off before he could finish.

"Uh, pretty sure its after midnight," the speedster interjected, interrupting Red Robin, "but we can show you the moon."

"Either way," Red Robin spoke to the clone again, "what I'm saying is that you deserve better than to call a test tube your home."

"We can show you, introduce you to Superman," promised the bound Atlantean. Red Robin saw the break through in what Aqualad said. Superboy looked up at them jaw slightly opening, probably imaging what it would be like to meet the iconic Kryptonian.

"No, they can't," a voice spoke up from entrance to the room, instantly washing away the emotions on Superboy's face. The four protégés looked in the direction of the voice to see Guardian and two doctors walk in the room, each one with a g-gnome on their shoulders, "They'll be… otherwise occupied," spoke the male doctor. The male doctor was dressed in the normal doctor wear. He wore a tan t-shirt and brown pants and a standard lab coat over top. He had long brown hair that was tied into a pony tail. He had slight wrinkles present on his face and streaks of gray mixed in with his brown hair. He looked over to the female doctor, "Activate the cloning process," he ordered her. From her body language looked like she rather be anywhere else, but she had no choice. She barely even paid any mind to the heroes as she walked over to the panel to do what she was told.

"Pass," Red Robin answered, but the male doctor, who was in charge obviously, gave him none of his attention.

"Batcave's crowded enough," interjected Robin, looking forward at the male doctor.

"Really?" asked Red Robin turning his head to look at his partner, one eyebrow raised in the air.

"Yeah, I can barely breathe, let alone think" he answered, looking at his partner with a serious look. Red Robin almost believed him, but Robin's mouth grinned slightly before turning his attention to the doctors and Guardian, who was getting an earful from his boss.

"And get the weapon back in its pod!" the lab coat in charge yelled at his Chief of Security.

Guardian walked forward towards Superboy, "Hey. How come he gets to call Supey an it?" Kid Flash protested.

"Well Flash Boy," Red Robin spoke, retorting the speedsters last comment, "Maybe because he's the guy in charge," Red Robin finished, getting a glare from the speedster.

Superboy, with Guardian's hand on his shoulder, looked up at the restrained, pleading young heroes. "Help us" Aqualad spoke. Superboy then shrugged off Guardians hand.

Lab coat walked past Superboy and the g-gnome that was on his shoulder hopped off and landed on Superboy's and the g-gnome's horns glowed red, taking over the clone's mind, as the doctor walked past and looked at the clone face to face, "See, you're not a read boy. You're a weapon, and you belong to me!" he sneered at Superboy, "Well, to Cadmus. Same thing" he added as a quick afterthought to what he just said previously, "Now get back to your pod!" he shouted before nodding to the female doctor to start the procedure.

Two metallic arms reached up from the bottom of each pod the heroes were restrained in and the ends of the arms split into four needle pointed probes that descended down and pierced the heroes' chests. Electricity then arched between the probes as the process started. The four heroes hollered and groaned in pain. Red Robin's least favorite part of the job was being made the center point of villain experiments if they captured him and Robin, or even Batman as well, or even arriving on scene at a villain's hideout to see regular citizens being experimented on. One time he saw what Joker had called Joker Putty turn one of the best GCPD detectives into what the city called Clayface.

The pain Red Robin was feeling was overwhelming. He couldn't hear the others groans and screaming over his own. His muscles spasmed from the shock and wished and pleaded every second for the pain to stop, when suddenly it did. Red Robin ceased his outward expressions of pain as his spasms stopped as well and looked to see Superboy at the entrance to the room, with the door held high above his head as electricity sparked around the door.

Superboy chucked the door to the side and started to walk towards the heroes. Red Robin saw lab coat with the horned, humanoid genomorph and Guardian rush towards Superboy, but he couldn't hear what they were saying. Superboy effortlessly pushed all three aside out of his way and continued toward the heroes. Red Robin would have laughed at that, but he hurt too much to do so.

The ringing in Red Robin's ears began to die down as Superboy stood in front of their pods again looking at them, "You here to help us or fry us?" Kid Flash asked.

Superboy squinted his eyes trying to unleash his laser beams, "Huh," he said after nothing happened, "I don't seem to have heat vision, so I suppose helping is my only option," the clone grinned at Kid Flash.

After Superboy finished there was a hiss as the restraints that held Robin gave way and the door to his pod opened and he dropped down, followed by Red Robin seconds later, "Are you kidding me? You won again?" pouted Red Robin, "I even got a head start," he continued, receiving a smirk from Robin.

"You alright?" Robin asked, rubbing his writs.

"For now," Red Robin answered, bending down to rub his ankles, "If the bad guys don't kill us, Batman is for sure going to kill us," he started.

"Seriously? That's what you're worried about?" Kid Flash asked incredulously, "The _whole_ League is gonna have our heads after tonight!" he yelled.

Red Robin made his way over to the control panel and pressed a button releasing the doors on the pods with the other heroes inside, "You want to grab Kid Doofus?" he asked his partner, who nodded and went to get KF out of his pod, "Superboy," Red Robin called out, getting the clone's attention, "You want to…" he trailed off as Superboy crossed his arms and gave a very stern glare to the gadget hero, "Orrrr not," he quickly added, putting his hands up, "I'll grab Aqualad."

Red Robin fiddled with the locks on Aqualad for a few seconds before he heard the click he was waiting for. Aqualad slumped down and Red Robin braced to catch him, but Superboy stepped in and caught the Atlantean, bringing him down to the ground, "Thank you," he said looking at Superboy, "Both of you," he finished giving Red Robin a nod of appreciation. The five heroes then took off for the door, starting their escape.

"You'll never get out of here!" the head evil scientist shouted at the in progress of escaping teens, "I'll have you back in pods before morning!"

"Man, Lab Coat doesn't get it does he?" Red Robin muttered stopping and spinning around, as did Kid Flash.

"That guy is not whelmed, not whelmed at all," muttered the Boy Wonder who also stopped and turned around.

Both Batman protégés whipped out two birdarangs and threw them at the pods they were trapped in seconds ago. All four successfully found their marks. With a clang, the birdarangs embedded themselves into the glass, spherical tanks that housed their blood mixed with the clear liquid. The birdarangs gave out a steady beep that got louder and a few short seconds later the explosion from the birdarangs destroying the pods and any DNA that was obtained.

"What is it with you and this whelmed thing?" asked Kid Flash as they took off again, racing to catch up to Aqualad and Superboy. The only answer he got was Red Robin giving him a shrug.

"We are still forty-two levels below ground," Aqualad called out to the others as he led them around a turn down a long hallway with an elevator at the end, "But if we can make the elevator…" Aqualad was cut off by a bunch of low growls coming from further down the hallway.

Five g-trolls made their presents known and advance towards the heroes. The heroes quickly looked behind for another way, but behind them from red glowing orbs from the walls began to stretch and crack, revealing several g-elves, "There's a lot of ifs" Red Robin commented on their situation. The five turned to see a g-troll with its front legs already raised in the air about to smash the sidekicks.

They all were able to move out of the way in time as its front fists came smashing down on the ground in front of them. Red Robin quickly followed after the others as they leaped and flipped over the mammoths, successfully landing on the other side of them in the clear. Red Robin looked around for their missing friend Superboy only to see him not grasping the plan. Instead of making his way passed the mammoths, he was repeatedly punching one up against the wall, while another laid knocked out on the floor behind him. From the strength Superboy was emitting, the walls began to shake and debris from the ceiling began to fall.

"Superboy!" shouted Aqualad, trying to gain his attention, "The goal is escape, not to bury ourselves here" he informed the teen clone, who know knocked out the mammoth he had up against the wall.

"You want escape?" the raging clone shouted back, picking up a knocked out mammoth and hurling it at the last two knocking them to the ground as well. The group then made it to the elevator doors and Aqualad quickly pried them open, allowing the others access to the destined escape route. Kid Flash was the first to jump into the elevator shaft landing on one of the ledges. He was then quickly followed by Robin and Red Robin who fired their gapping guns and ascended up the sub-levels. Aqualad was given a lift by Superboy.

The heroes began their ascension of the sub-levels, but Superboy caused them to stop and look in his direction with what happened next, "I'm falling" he said, shocked as he started to fall back down.

Eyes widening, Red Robin quickly let loose a birdarang from his utility belt that embedded itself into the metal walls of the elevator shaft, just in reach of Aqualad who was able to grip onto it, stopping their fall.

"Superman can fly," Superboy sadly stated, as the Kid Flash, Robin and Red Robin joined them on a ledge, "why can't I fly?" he solemnly asked. Red Robin frowned. He couldn't think of anything to answer that question. By the math, Superboy was a clone of Superman, so he should have all of Superman's powers, but he didn't. First no heat-vision, now no flight. What's next?

"Don't know," shrugged Kid Flash, "But it does look like to leap tall buildings in a single bound. Still cool," Kid Flash then helped Aqualad and Superboy onto the ledge of SL-15.

"Guys!" Robin shouted getting everyone's attention. Red Robin then heard it and looked up, "This gonna have to be our exit," Robin finished pointing at the express elevator that was coming down the shaft. Working quickly, Superboy kicked the doors to the sub-level open, allowing the others to roll into safety as the express elevator whooshed passed them and continued down. They couldn't stop though, as right in front of them were genomorphs closing in quickly. The heroes took off again going left down a hallway

"Go left!" shouted Superboy at the last second. Red Robin put on the breaks and almost lost his footing as he whipped to his left, "Right!" Superboy called out after they ran a bit more. Kid Flash sped a head followed by Superboy and they were the first to arrive at the dead end Superboy led them too, shortly followed by Robin, Red Robin and Aqualad.

Red Robin looked around and quickly spotted their escape route and nudged his partner, who just stopped beside him to catch his breath, and used his eyes to point out the ventilation shaft.

"I don't understand" Superboy said.

"Don't apologize," Robin exclaimed.

"What?" asked Kid Flash. Red Robin whipped out his grapple gun and launched it at the vent cover. The grapple attached itself and with a yank came right off. Robin then used this time to pull out his holo-computer and brought up a map.

"You want us to fit in that?" Kid Flash asked incredulously.

"You got a better idea?," Red Robin asked, before jumping up and shimmying into the vent, followed quickly by Robin.

Hearing the genomorphs getting closer, Kid Flash decided what to do, "No, not really," he mumbled to himself, answering Red Robin's previous question. Kid Flash and the others who were taller and took up more space shared a look and then followed the two gadget heroes.

The teens crawled forward in the shaft and as he crawled Red Robin glanced back to his partner, "Which way?" he asked stopping when he came to a fork.

"At this rate will never get out," grumbled KF.

"Shh. Listen," Superboy spoke, instantly becoming quite so he can focus. Red Robin gave a questioning look to Robin, who only shook his head since he didn't hear anything, "No flight or heat-vision, but check yes next to superstrength and superhearing," mumbled Red Robin.

"Go left," muttered Robin and the group started off again, "Make a right and then follow that to our exit," Robin finished giving directions to his fellow crime fighter.

Following his partners directions, Red Robin reached their exit. Repositioning himself, he kicked open the vent cover that blocked their exit and then repositioned again and rolled out, dropping down into an empty hallway, followed by the rest of the group. Robin then quickly took the time to type on his holo-computer.

The noise of the claws on the metal vent floor grew quieter and quieter, causing Red Robin to look at his younger friend, who was knelt on the floor typing on his holo-computer. Red Robin smiled, knowing what Robin was doing.

"What?" Kid Flash asked, seeing the smiles coming from the Boy Wonders.

"I hacked the motion sensors," Robin stated.

"Sweet," stated Kid Flash excitedly.

"There is still plenty of room between us and out though," stated Red Robin.

"Yeah, but that means I finally got room to move," exclaimed the teen speedster, lowering his goggles down over his eyes and taking off through a nearby door and up the flights of stairs. The four others followed suit trailing behind the speedster. Aqualad was in front with the Gothamites in the middle, and Superboy brought up the rear. Red Robin and Robin were on their holo-computers as they ran.

"Superboy!" shouted Red Robin as he looked behind him, "There's more coming from behind us" he stated as he and the others continued to run, while Superboy stopped to take care of the trailing genomorphs. Superboy gave a yell and stomped down on the stairway behind them, causing it to break and fall, sending the genomorphs that were climbing it down as well. He then took off to catch up with the others.

The others caught up with Kid Flash, who was on the ground rubbing his head, "We're cut off from the street," Aqualad stated, seeing the metal door that blocked their way. Red Robin ran up and knelt by the door, with Robin standing right next to him. He started to get to work hacking the door.

"Thanks. My head hadn't noticed," Kid Flash sarcastically muttered to the Atlantean.

The alarms rang out loudly as Red Robin tried to concentrate on hacking to open their escape route back up. Aqualad and Superboy attempted to physically pry the thick and heavy metal double doors apart. Red Robin let out a frustrated growl, "I can't hack this fast enough."

Growling was heard now from behind them. Robin spun around and kicked open the side door next to him, "This way!" he shouted as he took off.

The others then sped off after him and came to a crossroads at the end. Red Robin sprinted after his partner, only to catch up and freeze as did the rest of the team. All five quickly took a fighting stance as an army of genomorphs, which ranged from the small g-gnomes like the one that sat on Guardians shoulder to the mammoth sized g-trolls. In the center of the genomorphs that stood in front of the heroes was Guardian, who seemed to be in control. The heroes pulled out their weapons and took a fighting stance. Instead of a physical attack they thought was coming, all the horns of the g-gnomes glowed red and a mental attack hit the heroes who were unprepared for that and they all dropped to the floor as darkness took over.

The mental force that knocked the heroes out lifted, allowing them to come to. Red Robin groaned, as did the others. As they slowly stood up, Guardian groaned and rubbed his head, taking in his surroundings.

"I…Choose…Freedom" Superboy spoke, emphasizing each word as he did so.

"Feels like…fog lifting" Guardian spoke, rubbing his head still.

"Guardian?" questioned Aqualad, as he and the others stood back up.

"Go," said hero ordered the teens, "I'll deal with Desmond."

"Lab coat?" mumbled Red Robin putting two and two together, getting a nod from Kid Flash.

"I think not," hissed Desmond. The genomorphs that were behind the newly wakened Guardian parted and behind them stood Desmond holding a bright blue glowing vial, "Project Blockbuster," he started, popping the lid off the vial, "will give me the power to restore order to Cadmus," he coldly stated before downing the contents inside the vial. Groaning was heard as Desmond's body convulsed in front of them. Desmond fell down on his hands and knees as the effects of the vial really began to take control of his body. His shirt and lab coat were torn apart as his muscle mass increased dramatically, and his groaning now turned to more of a growl. Red Robin went wide eyed, as did his friends at what was unfolding in front of them. His eyes then snapped open revealing his new red and black eyes, but the most disturbing thing was that his skin started to tear off, revealing an underlying layer of skin that was the same gray as the genomorphs. Now standing before the gathering of heroes and genomorphs was a monster that roared to life.

"Everyone back!" ordered Guardian arms spread out to keep the teen heroes at bay. He then rushed head on against the former scientist.

"Guardian I…" Red Robin spoke, but faded out when Desmond swung, knocking Guardian into one of the metal walls, effectively knocking the daylights out of him.

Superboy then rushed forward, throwing a punch at the monster, which was already more effective then what Guardian had done. However, Blockbuster threw is own punch at the teen and soon both were exchanging blows on each other. Blockbuster landed a solid punch on Superboy, making him skid across the floor, but Superboy would not be bested by his former enslaver. He jumped into the air, ready to deliver the big blow, when Blockbuster also lunged forward, grabbing Superboy. Blockbuster's momentum carried him up to and through the ceiling, leaving a gaping hole were the duo crashed through.

"Ok. That's one way to bust through the ceiling," commented the Boy Wonder as he and the other three rushed forward to look up through the hole. Robin and Red Robin each pulled out their grappling guns once again.

"You think Lab Coat planned that?" Kid Flash asked as he and Robin shot up to the next floor, followed by Red Robin and Aqualad, "I don't think he's planning anything anymore," responded Aqualad.

The four landed on the ground level floor of Cadmus only to see Superboy be grabbed by the monster and hurled in their direction. Superboy collided with Aqualad, sending both teens flying backwards. The remaining three spun around quickly and raced over to their comrades, who were on the ground. Helping them up, the five regrouped and charged the already charging Blockbuster.

Kid Flash easily sped ahead of the rest and slid under Blockbuster and popped back up behind the beast. Superboy and Aqualad then leapt together and landed a double punch on Blockbuster who reeled back from the force of the blow. Kid Flash, propped up on his hands and knees, tripped the creature, who then fell completely backwards with a roar.

Kid Flash smirked down at the fallen Blockbuster, "learned that one in kindergarten."

Robin and Red Robin followed up their attack by both leaping over the speedster, hurling birdarangs at Blockbuster, but the beast easily swatted them aside with his arm.

Blockbuster then leapt back up on his feet and grabbed Superboy slamming him into a pillar, causing the pillar to crack and the entire building to shake from the force. Superboy retaliated back with a quick one, two to the creature, but Blockbuster just reared back a fist and let an incredible punch that caved the pillar in more. Blockbuster went for the finish, but Aqualad came barreling in from out of the creature's sight and slammed into Blockbuster knocking him back into another of the building's pillars, cracking that one as well.

Kid Flash then sped towards Blockbuster, only to be grabbed by the arm by the creature, who then saw Aqualad charging at him again. Blockbuster, thinking quickly hurled the speedster in his grip at the charging Atlantean. Kid Flash collided with Aqualad, and the two skidded across the floor. Blockbuster then turned his sights on the two nonpowered heroes.

"Uh oh" muttered Red Robin as Blockbuster charged forward. The two dove to the sides to avoid the rampaging beast, but Red Robin was grabbed by the cape, causing his breathing to be restricted slightly, "Oh no you don't," he strained out. He rotated his body around to face Blockbuster and using a birdarang cut his cape near the creature's hand and dropped back down to the floor. Crouched down he then threw a smoke bomb at the creature and made his escape as Blockbuster roared from within the smoke.

When the smoke cleared, Blockbuster was met by Superboy and Aqualad, who again struck the monster with a coordinated strike, sending the monster staggering back into another pillar causing the building to shake entirely again. Red Robin and Robin shared a look, "You thinking what I'm thinking?" Red Robin asked his partner, who whipped out his holo-computer and pulled up the building blueprints.

"KF, get over here!" Robin shouted.

"We're gonna bring the whole place down," Red Robin told the speedster who was immediately right beside them. Robin gestured to a spot on his map where a pillar had gone red and the map showed 'Damage, Structural Compromise'.

"Got it?" Robin asked.

"Got it" Kid Flash repeated and took off to get Blockbuster's attention.

"Set the charges, I'll inform Superboy and Aqualad" Robin stated, getting a nod from Red Robin, who set to work making sure each pillar received a birdarang set to explode when Robin told him to. He saw Robin relay the plan to Superboy and Aqualad, who then helped Kid Flash with bringing down pillars. Robin then set to work on drawing a giant white X on the floor where Blockbuster was supposed to be positioned. Aqualad then dispersed water overtop the white X and Kid Flash put on the breaks as he ran overtop the water, spreading it out.

Blockbuster came barreling towards the speedster only for Superboy to land a punch on the face of Blockbuster, knocking the muscular monster onto the ground. Growing Blockbuster went to stand, but before he could, Aqualad placed his hands on the water and sent out electricity, shocking the creature, "NOW!" Robin yelled to Red Robin who hit a button on his wrist, activating the birdarangs, "MOVE!" he shouted as the birdarangs began to beep.

The teens began to run away from the area Blockbuster was in to a safer spot, if there was a really safer spot in a crumbling building. Red Robin heard his birdarangs go off, and that's when the two more durable teens, Aqualad and Superboy dove on top of Kid Flash, Robin and Red Robin, shielding them from most of the blast and falling rubble.

Blackness took up all of Red Robin's vision as he finally opened his eyes after everything died down and the more durable teen that grabbed him shifted the rubble away so that he could move. Superboy became visible before he shifted his sight to the sky and full moon. Breathing heavily, Red Robin, laying on his back was enjoying the mission, or more like 'the debacle' was finally over. He just now noticed that he and his allies were all covered in small cuts and scrapes thanks to 'the debacle'. He looked to his left and saw Robin and Kid Flash, "We… did it" Aqualad breathed heavily.

"Was there… ever any doubt?" Robin asked also breathing heavily as well, he then high fived Kid Flash and both winced at the pain they received.

"Yes" Red Robin answered his partner, Red Robin had his doubt, but they did it, without their mentors, without the entire league. They prevailed, but speaking of the League, they were gonna regret that conversation later. Slowly getting up, he made his way over to Superboy, who was looking down at the trapped Desmond, "See the moon," he spoke pointing at it and quickly lowering his arm afterwards, hearing a pop and wincing as he lowered it.

Superboy snapped out of his inner thoughts and turned around and looked up at the full moon, seeing it for the first time in his life. Then a small black speck appeared in the center of the moon and got closer, revealing what the speck was.

"And Superman," Kid Flash spoke, "Do we keep our promises or what?" the speedster chirped, smiling. Behind Superman, who was now landing, was followed by the other members of The League; Martian Manhunter, Zatara, Shazam and Red Tornado who all made their landing in the rubble in front of them. Captain Atom, Hawkman, Wonder Woman, Hawkgirl, and Green Lantern Hal Jordan descended down as well. Landing down in the rubble with Superman, was Green Lantern John Stewart, carrying with him, Black Canary, Aquaman, Green Arrow, and Batman. Flash then zoomed in as well.

Batman stepped up to Superman. Superboy strode forward to his icon, and Superman's eyes narrowed at the approaching boy, noting the similarities between the two. Superboy's solar suit was ripped in the front and the fabric that was ripped covered the S shield from view. Superboy pulled back the ripped fabric, revealing the S shield to Superman, who's face morphed to a shocked expression. Superboy's face was hopeful, but Superman's shocked face changed back into his steely appearance as he straightened his shoulders, rejecting the clone. Red Robin then noted the mixed expression of sorrow then anger on Superboy.

"Is that what I think it is?" Batman asked the group of sidekicks, looking at Superboy.

Kid Flash then walked up next to Superboy, "He doesn't like being called an it" warned the speedster from the corner of his mouth.

"I'm Superman's clone," snapped Superboy. Red Robin saw the shock appear on the rest of the league members.

Batman then narrowed his eyes at the sidekicks, who were the only ones not showing shock from Superboy's outburst, for obvious reasons, "Start talking," he ordered.

After the sidekicks finished their explanation of events, Captain Atom, Hawkman, Hawkgirl and both Green Lantern's Hal Jordan and John Stewart carried what the sidekicks called Blockbuster away. The rest of the league that remained behind broke off to talk about current events in huddles. Martian Manhunter, Wonder Woman and Superman were in their own huddle. The green Martian noticed Superboy's attention on them and placed a hand on Superman's shoulder, nodding in the clone's direction. Superman sighed and made his way over to the huddle of teens, who stood in their own huddle exhausted and fatigued.

Superman stopped when he made his way to the group and stopped in front of Superboy awkwardly sighing as he did so, "Well, uh... We'll figure something out for you. The League will, I mean," he quickly added, clarifying what he said earlier, "For now…" he paused looking away for a second before looking back at the clone of himself, "I'd better make sure they get that Blockbuster creature squared away," Superman barely got the last word out before he kicked up from the ground and headed off in the same direction as the heroes that carried Blockbuster away.

"Cadmus will be investigated," announced the Caped Crusader. Red Robin turned to face his mentor, along with the others. They watched Aquaman and Flash also approached from behind Batman, "All fifty-two levels, but lets get one thing clear," Batman continued but was interrupted.

"You should have called," interjected Flash, getting the signature batglare from Batman, who usually saved that for when his protégés disobeyed, "End results aside, we are _not_ happy. You hacked Justice League systems, disobeyed direct orders, and endangered lives. You will not be doing this again," Batman scolded.

The heroes let silence take over and then looked at each other. Robin and Red Robin stepped forward beside Aqualad, Superboy and Kid Flash. "I am sorry, but we will" Aqualad said, standing straighter and standing his ground, as did the others. Today was the day, the day the sidekicks stood against their mentors.

"Aqualad," Aquaman spoke, stepping forward, "Stand down" he ordered.

"Apologies my king," Aqualad bowed slightly, "but _no_. We did good work here tonight; the work you trained us to do. Together on our own, he forged something powerful, important"

Red Robin couldn't help but feel his confidence rise when Aqualad gave his speech to The League.

"If this is about your treatment at The Hall," Flash stepped up, taking his turn to jab at the youngsters, "The four of you-"

"The _five_ of us," Kid Flash corrected him, "and it's not" giving his mentor a slight glare.

"Batman," Robin started, slight pleading was heard in his voice, "We're ready to use what you taught us. Or why teach us at all?"

"Batman," Red Robin spoke, gaining the attention of his mentor's glare, which was slightly intimidating, "You know we're ready. You said so yourself, or you wouldn't have let us become part of the league in the first place."

"Why let them tell us what to do?" questioned the clone, stepping forward, standing with his friends, "It's simple. Get on board or get out of the way."

The heroes defyingly stood their ground, looking at their mentors with shoulders high. Batman narrowed his eyes at them, glancing at them all, "Three days," he spoke sternly, "We'll have something ready for you" earning a nod from the protégés. Batman then spoke again, "Robin, Red Robin," he barked, snapping his two to attention, he then walked away from the league. Getting the hint, Robin and Red Robin said their goodbyes to their friends and took off after their mentor. Just then the Batplane stopped overhead and a compartment underneath the plane opened up allowing Batman and his students to jump up and into the plane and then it took off in the direction of Gotham City.

Batman took his seat in the front, while his protégés took their respective seats behind him. The ride back to Gotham was quite and uneventful. Batman obviously was fine with letting the silence continue, while Red Robin was too afraid to really say anything, fearing the wrath of Batman once he would start to say anything.

Once back in the Batcave, the team of Gotham protectors exited the Batplane and Batman led them over by the Batcomputer and training area, "I agreed to help your team, but you two are still in trouble," Batman spoke with his infamous low voice.

"Bruce," Red Robin, "You're not my parents, you can't punish me," Red Robin tried to poorly weasel out of whatever Bruce was planning, but it obviously didn't work as Batman's stance and facial expression didn't change at all.

"Really?" Batman asked, this time a small smirk made it's way slyly on his face, and Red Robin knew he was in for it, "Alfred told me Barbara stopped by the manor earlier, something about you two had to make something up to her, but when Alfred said neither of you were here, she stormed out and said she was heading to your place Nathan,"

Nathan deadpanned and wore a worried look. Dick however laughed at him, "Hey she's after you too doofus," he muttered, getting Dick to stop.

"Now the two of you will run through some new simulations I programmed into the training robots. And you're not done till I'm satisfied with your performance," he said. His smirk grew a little when he heard moans and groans from his students.

"Ugh," groaned Nathan, "My legs already feel like jelly" he stated, shaking his left leg.

"Sounds like you're asking for the extra training," Batman retorted, the almost not noticeable smirk still present on his face.

Batman aloud them to get ready, taking care of injuries that they sustained from their night activity in DC and to make sure they weren't too badly hurt. Sure Batman wanted the best from his students, but he didn't want to push them if they couldn't take it. Getting the ok from the Bat Family doctor, Alfred, the training began and it went on for hours.

The two Bat sidekicks went on for hours throwing everything they had at the training robots. The robots were made by Bruce and Alfred. Certain parts of the robot's body glowed a white light that when struck with enough force went out, either shutting down the entire robot, or just a certain body part, if it was struck in the arm or leg several times. If not completely shut down, the robots still attempted to go after the sidekicks. Eventually when their utility belts were running on almost empty and Batman was finally satisfied, the training stopped and Batman allowed his students to finally hit the showers and sleep.

 _ **WAYNE MANOR**_

 _ **July 6, 12:30 EDT**_

Siting on one of the couches at the manor was Nathan and Dick and in front of them was a pacing Barbara Gordon, who had her hands on the side of her face that wore a frustrated expression, "I can't believe you two," she stated putting her hands on her hips, "First you ditch me at the café then lied to me about why you two had to leave. I came here and Alfred had no idea about a cook out," she then stopped pacing and looked both teens in the eyes, "Why did you really have to leave?" she asked. Silence filled the room as the two boys just shared a look with one another then focused their attention on Barbara, which didn't help Barbara's rant, "So you're not even going to tell me why you both left or lied to me?" she asked again, anger apparent in her voice. Nathan raised a hand pointing with his index finger as he opened his mouth to speak, but before he could say a word, Barbara whipped around back facing them, "You know what? I don't want to know," she spoke, "You two owe me big time now," she said, pointing a finger at them both.

"We know Barbara," Dick said sorrowfully.

"We know we hurt you and we'll start to make it up to by taking you to lunch," Nathan stated, "We'll even buy," he added.

Barbara glared even more at them. Nathan swore that her glare she was giving now rivaled Batman's when he was mad at them for whatever reason. "It's a start," Barbara said, before smiling, "Shall we?" she asked gesturing towards the doorway. Nathan and Dick got up and both noticed the smile Barbara had was slightly evil looking. She knew she had them wrapped around her finger for a few weeks at least.

 _ **GOTHAM CITY**_

 _ **JULY 7, 21:45 EDT**_

Nathan after completing his last training assignment from Bruce had texted Barbara about hanging out and going for dinner at the café they always went to. She agreed and after a relatively quiet dinner, Nathan was walking her home and like the dinner, the walk back to Barbara's was so far quiet.

"Barbara," Nathan said trying to get her attention. She allowed him to walk beside her, but she was still holding her grudge against the two boys, and she liked seeing how her being angry at them made them clamor to get her to like them again. In truth she had already forgiven them, but she felt like playing with them for a few extra days to make up for all the jokes and pranks they pulled on her through the years of their friendship.

Currently, Barbara had her arms crossed over her chest as she and Nathan continued to walk. "Hm?" was all she said to show Nathan that he had her attention, but still did not look at him.

"I know you have a right to be mad at us," Nathan stated, jumping in front of her and walking backwards so that he could make eye contact with her. All he got was a glare, the same glare she gave them a day ago when she yelled at them in the manor, "and what we did was wrong. I just wanted to say," but he didn't get to finish because he stepped off the edge of the sidewalk they were on and lost his balance and fell into a puddle of water on the street. He wiped his eyes and looked at Barbara who now had a hand over her mouth that was muffling her laugh.

"Guess I deserved that," Nathan spoke, wiping his face with his damp sleeve of his shirt, "Glad I can still make you laugh even when your mad at me," he said, giving her a small smile. Barbara stopped laughing and grabbed his hand and helped pull him up.

After he was up, she helped to clean up his hands and face before giving him a playful punch in the arm, "I'm not mad at you," she said wiping some dirt from his cheek, giving him a small smile, "I understand you guys don't have to tell me everything, I was just angry and frustrated and I finally exploded yesterday. On the bright side, I have already forgiven both of you," she continued, taking a step back to make sure that all the dirt was off his face, or at least most of it.

"That's a relief," sighed Nathan, glad that Barbara was no longer mad at them. She never really held grudges on anyone, but Nathan swore she was going to this time because she was really mad at them, even when they took her out for lunch yesterday and for basically the rest of the day.

Barbara then put a hand on his other cheek and began to wipe some dirt off of that one too, "I just wanted to get back at you two for all the jokes you pulled on me since we became friends," she said chuckling again at the appearance of Nathan in front of her, after removing her hand from Nathan's cheek and looking at him again. Nathan wouldn't admit it out loud, or at least not yet, that he liked Barbara's touch, even if she was just taking dirt off his face, but he felt it best to keep these feelings inside for now and bury them.

Nathan looked at her dumbfounded, but a smile grew on his face, "You" he said, shaking his head at her, "Well played" he said, running a hand back and forth through his hair to get any pebbles or dirt out of it, "Well we should probably get you back before your dad puts an APB out on us" he joked, only getting a shake of the head from Barbara, before they continued to her house.

 _ **HAPPY HARBOR**_

 _ **July 8, 08:04 EDT**_

Mount Justice is a hollowed-out mountain that sits near the city of Happy Harbor, Rhode Island and is a secret base of the Justice League. The cave was in the process of being fitted with the new technology that The League had in their new headquarters, The Watchtower.

Robin and Red Robin both had civilian clothes on and walked beside their mentor, Batman, who wore his vigilante attire like the rest of the Justice League. The duo was getting use to their new gig. Red Robin, or Nathan rather, adjusted his black pair of sunglasses that he wore, as the trio of Gotham heroes made their way into the main room where the rest of the teens were, along with their mentors a few other Leaguers stood waiting.

Once everyone was there and ready, Batman began his speech, "This cave was the original secret sanctuary of the Justice League. We're calling it into service again, since you five are determined to stay together and fight the good fight, you'll do it on league terms," spoke the Cape Crusader, "Red Tornado volunteered to live here and be your supervisor. Black Canary's in charge of training. I will deploy you on missions," he finished.

"Real missions?" asked Robin.

"Yes, but covert," answered his mentor.

"The League will still handle the obvious stuff. There's a reason we have these big targets on our chests," spoke the scarlet speedster.

"But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly," chimed in Aquaman.

"The six of you will be that team," Batman spoke, continuing where Aquaman left off.

"Cool," exclaimed Robin excitedly, then his faced changed to one of confusion, "Wait six?" he asked. Red Robin noticed Batman shift his gaze to something behind them and he, along with his teammates, turned to see what it was. Walking towards Red Robin and the team was Martian Manhunter and a teenaged Martian girl.

"This is Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian," explained Batman, as the two Martians made their way towards the group.

"Hi" she nervously waved at the group of heroes.

Kid Flash then leaned down towards Robin and spoke quietly, but Red Robin standing beside Robin picked up on the speedster's whispered words, "Likin' this gig more every minute," he quietly whispered. Robin just kept his smirk and Red Robin rolled his eyes, but KF couldn't see because of the glasses Red Robin wore.

"Welcome aboard," exclaimed Kid Flash, walking towards the female Martian greeting her, "I'm Kid Flash. That's Robin, Red Robin and that's Aqualad. It's cool if you forget their names," he added at the end. The others approached and Kid Flash received an elbow in the arm lightly from Red Robin, but Superboy hung back.

"I'm honored to be included," she said and the four teens gathered around Miss Martian.

"Hey Superboy! Come meet Miss M!" Robin called out.

Superboy then stepped forward as well and Miss Martians costume changed to match Superboy's shirt, "I like your t-shirt," she said still shyly to the clone.

Robin, Kid Flash, and Red Robin stood beside Superboy and Aqualad finally voiced what was on everybody else's mind, "Today's the day" he spoke.

 **Hey guys, hope the chapter was enjoyable. I just wanted to say again that it was put to my attention that my story mirrored another story too much so I went back through and changed some things around. Before I say what I would like to thank the guest who brought it to my attention. It was never my intent to copy another story. I went back through and changed some of the dialogue, but most is straight from the episode or just Robin's lines divided up between him and the OC just to show that the two of them have a lot more chemistry between them then they do with any other member of the team. I also changed the Batman scolding his sidekicks scene after the end of the Fireworks episode part of the chapter.**

 **Just one more thing. The story that originally gave me the idea for Batman scolding his sidekicks for what they did in DC was initially inspired by SnowWolf22's story Strike and after reading what I put the first time I would have sent myself the same review. So I went back to the drawing board some and changed it some more. But I wanted to give a proper shout out and also give proper credit to the original author that inspired the idea to add a scene like that. Also to put this discalimer about how certain scenes were inspired by that legendary fanfic story.**

 **Please review and let me know what you guys think. I hope you guys continue to enjoy the story even if some of you didn't like that fact that I'm creating my own spin of the Red Robin persona with my own OC. I have no intent to create a knock off Tim Drake, I just wanted to use the hero name because Red Robin is my favorite Batman character. How my OC interacts wouldn't have changed even if I had went the route of making my own hero name. I'm not trying to sound rude or anything just explaining the initial idea behind the story.  
**

 **Hope you guys continue to enjoy and please leave reviews or PM if you guys have any story arc ideas**


	4. Welcome To Happy Harbor

**Hey guys here's the next chapter for the story. Sorry about the extra delay. Had a review saying that my story mirrored another too much, but I went back through and changed a few scenes and added credit to the author in the previous chapter. Some of the scenes after I reread them surprised me at how similar they still were and so I would have sent the same review to myself that the guest did to whom I apologize too, since I also sent apologizes to the author, SnowWolf22 and also anyone who was following this story at the time.**

 **So I changed a few scenes in previous chapters and this one as well and also changed some of the custom dialogue that I had put in. Though most dialogue for Red Robin was just from the episode and were Robin's lines just split between the two characters just to show that they have more chemistry between them then any other member of the team so those weren't really changed or messed with. Also went through and just edited some other things as well. I completely missed one of Doctor Desmond's lines in Fireworks, so that is in now. Eventually I'll really go back through and proofread.  
**

 **Disclaimer: Don't own Young Justice or anything DC related. Also added a disclaimer in the previous chapter giving proper credit to SnowWolf22 and the story Strike for being the inspiration behind a couple scenes. Also, one line that Red Robin uses near the beginning was supplied by thebirdie so shout out to them as well for the line.  
**

 **Speaking of thebirdie, our co-op story is underway as well titled Young Justice: Ignition so check that out when and if you ladies and gents get some free time.**

YOUNG JUSTICE

WELCOME TO HAPPY HARBOR

 **STAR CITY**

 **July 17, 23:16 PDT**

It was a late night down at the pier in Star City. Despite the extremely late hour, the pier was a busy place. Red Robin and Robin were on top of a warehouse building looking through their binoculars at the goons below them getting ready to unload some cargo that belonged to the U.S. Government.

"We are gonna stop these guys even if Speedy doesn't show right?" asked Red Robin

"Duh" spoke Robin still watching.

Two goons grabbed one of the crates labeled 'U.S. Government', and they both let out a grunt at how heavy the crate was when an arrow flew in and hit the ground in between the two goons with the crate. The arrow unleashed smoke and caused the goons to fall and drop the crate. The crate then spilled its contents, which looked like new high-tech handguns, on the ground. One of the guns skidded over towards Brick, a crime boss in Star City that sported a finely dressed suit, a small white goatee, and cornrow hair that went down into a ponytail. Brick kicked the gun up to his hand and pointed it up in the air in the direction of the arrow, "You Again! I'm startin' to get insulted Green Arrow's not messin' up my operations personally," he shouted angrily at Speedy, who was watching the crime boss from above.

Brick then fired shots up at the new solo hero, Speedy, who leapt through the beams with his amazing acrobatic skills, dodging every shot.

"That's our cue," said Robin pulling out his grapple gun and quickly launching it and took off towards the combat.

Red Robin put a hand to his ear to activate his comm, "Flash Boy, Aqualad. Time to make our presence known"

" _Would you stop saying that,"_ came the gruntled response of Kid Flash.

" _Understood"_ responded Aqualad.

Red Robin then pulled out his own grapple gun and took off towards the fighting, ready to meet Speedy for the first time after the incident at The Hall.

Speedy landed on a platform and then ran across it, still dodging the red energy blasts from the high-tech weapon. After a few more dodges, Speedy stopped and fired an arrow that went right into the barrel of the gun Brick was holding and exploded, ruining the crime boss' expensive suit.

Brick saw his ruined suit and was enraged even more, "Do you know what I pay for a suit in my size?!" he yelled up at the archer.

"Don't know, but there's a nice free orange suit your size at Belle Reve," came a voice over the area, but Brick didn't know who it belonged to. He then looked up and found out. Falling threw the air, cape flapping as he did so, was Red Robin. Brick at the last second took a few steps back and Red Robin landed just in front of the crime boss. Red Robin acted quickly and landed a few punches and a kick at Brick's midsection but Brick was unphased by the punches and went to grab the Batman protégé, but Red Robin jumped up and out of the way of Brick's grab and kicked off the villain's chest and in mid air threw two birdarangs at the metahuman and then landed a few feet away. Brick caught each of the birdarangs in his hands and crushed them with little effort, but the birdarangs exploded, ruining Brick's suit even more.

"Scorch the earth, boys" Brick ordered his four goons as the smoke cleared. They all grabbed the high-tech pistols that were on the ground from the crate that smashed open and aimed them at Speedy and Red Robin, but before the goons could act, a quick red and yellow blur sped by and knocked two over. The remaining two aimed at the charging Red Robin, but two birdarangs came from nowhere and disarmed the two remaining thugs and Robin's infamous cackle was heard before he dropped down behind the two goons and pulled from his belt his yellow collapsed bo staff. He flicked the staff, which caused it to extend to its full length of five feet and with three quick jabs to each of the two goons, dropped them both.

"I need one of those," quipped Red Robin to his partner before they both disappeared behind some crates. Brick, now even more mad, pried up a piece of concrete from the ground and hurled it up at Speedy. Aqualad then came down from above Speedy, and using his water bearers, smashed the piece of concrete before it reached its intended target. Speedy knocked an arrow and fired at Brick. The arrow hit Brick in the chest and smoke engulfed the crime boss.

"The cave is perfect. It has everything the team will need," Aqualad spoke, trying to persuade his friend.

Robin and Red Robin then dropped down behind Speedy, getting the archers attention, "For covert missions," Robin added.

"You know, spy stuff" Red Robin added along with his partner.

Kid Flash then appeared, after running up some crates, "And wait till you see Superboy and Miss Martian," Kid Flash added as well. All of them were trying to get their friend to join their team, "But I saw her first," Kid Flash quickly added, calling his dibs on the Martian girl.

As the smoke cleared, Brick grunted as he picked up another piece of concrete and threw it at the teen heroes. Acting quickly, Aqualad used his water bearers to create a mace and bring it down on the concrete projectile, while the other teen boys spread out.

Speedy to Aqualad's right fired three arrows, each making impact and exploding one after the other, knocking Brick back a few steps and knocking him off balance. Brick put his hand down on the ground to steady himself, "Heh heh. Tell Arrow he shouldn't send _boys_ to do a _man's_ job," he said gloating to the teens.

Speedy knocked another arrow and aimed it at the metahuman crime boss, "Go ahead," Brick said, spreading his arms out and letting Speedy have a free shot. Speedy let the arrow go and hit Brick square in the chest. Instead of exploding it released red bubbles that encased Brick in seconds. The bubbles then hardened trapping the villain.

Kid Flash then skidded to a stop by Speedy, "High-density polyurethane foam. Nice," he complimented the archer. Speedy just turned around to leave only to find the other three waiting for him. Robin and Red Robin propped themselves up against some crates, while Aqualad just stood.

"So, Speedy," Red Robin started to say.

"You in?" finished Robin.

Before making his leave, Speedy stopped in between the Boy Wonders and Aqualad, and looked at Robin, "Pass. I'm done letting arrow and The League tell me what to do," he answered, "I don't need a babysitter or a clubhouse to hang out with the other kids. Your Junior Justice League is a joke, something to keep you busy and in your place."

Speedy then made his leave and as he disappeared into the darkness, he said one last thing, "I don't want any part of it," and with that he vanished, leaving the other four heroes stunned and looking at each other with shocked faces.

 **GOTHAM CITY**

 **JULY 18, 3:00 EDT**

Red Robin made his way to his bedroom window, which of course when he tried to open was locked. _Parents shut it, guess I'll have to pick it_ he thought as he flicked his lockpick out of the hidden compartment in his right glove under his index finger and went to work. In seconds, the window was unlocked and quietly made his way into his bedroom.

Nathan, once inside, closed and relocked the window and immediately went to work getting out of his costume before his parents decided to drop in all of sudden. He got the costume off and angrily threw it in the hidden compartment he and Dick installed themselves in the back of his closet. Anger at Speedy ran through his body. Roy insulted their team as he declined their offer, or at least Nathan took it as an insult. He wasn't sure what the others thought, but he honestly didn't care what they thought at the moment. He grumbled to himself quietly as he got ready for bed.

"Clubhouse to hang out… other kids," he mumbled putting on a plain t-shirt and shorts. _I'm no kid. I'm fifteen and a protégé to Batman…The Batman_ , he thought to himself.

"Junior Justice League" he growled through his toothbrush as he brushed his teeth.

"keeping us in our place" he grumbled while climbing into his bed for some sleep before heading to the cave tomorrow. Before finally closing his eyes, he checked his phone and he found a couple missed calls and texts from his parents, who he usually ignored. He then saw Barbara's texts, _Barbara blew up my phone_ , he thought reading through. They weren't really anything too important just asking where he was and if he was ok, since she hasn't seen him as much as she used to the pass couple days. Nathan texted her to meet at the GCPD on a day she had free coming up., then put his phone down and tried to get some much-needed sleep. Barbara was really fun to hang out with and her dad, _the_ Commissioner Gordon, was pretty cool too, usually giving him and Barbara the run of the GCPD, which usually ended with them in trouble or just reading case files, mostly Cold Cases because he thought they were the most intriguing since they weren't solved yet.

– **Young Justice Theme –**

 **MOUNT JUSTICE**

 **JULY 18, 11:10 EDT**

 **[Recognized: Red Robin, B 0-4]** called out the computerized voice of the zeta beam teleporter. Instead of his Red Robin uniform, Nathan walked into the cave with normal civilian clothes and a pair of black sunglasses.

"Red Robin!" greeted Miss Martian, "Good Morning!"

"Miss M," spoke Nathan in a groggy voice, while holding his head after hearing Miss Martian's high-volume greeting, "It's not a good morning till after eleven," just then his phone buzzed, _Sure, would love to meet at the GCPD later -Barbara_. Nathan smiled getting Babs' reply.

Aqualad then walked up next to Nathan and whispered to him, "Red Robin, it is after eleven."

Before Nathan could get his response out, he was interrupted by the computerized voice, **[Recognized: Robin, B 0-1; Kid Flash, B 0-3]** announced the computerized voice, marking the entrance of said superheroes, who stepped out of the yellow light from the zeta beam teleporter. Both were also in civilian clothes, and like Red Robin, Robin also sported the black sunglasses to keep his secret identity. The two sprinted towards the rest of the group in the middle of the room.

"Did you ask him?" came Robin's voice.

"What did he say?" chimed in Wally, speaking really fast.

"He's arriving now," answered Aqualad.

"Arriving for what?" asked a confused Nathan. He gathered they were talking about Red Tornado because of the holographic screen they were all watching, but he was confused why they wanted to speak to him. He had almost missed his alarm, and barely had time to shower. He quickly looked at his phone and saw he had messages from Dick, explaining everything that he was missing at the moment, about them contacting Red Tornado for a possible mission.

"Then what are we waiting for?" asked Wally as he took off to meet Red Tornado, followed by everyone else.

Outside the cave, a section of ground lowered revealing a secret entrance to The Team's lair. The six teens walked out to greet Red Tornado, who was descending down to meet the teens.

"Red Tornado!" waved Kid Flash getting the android's attention.

"Greetings. Is there a reason you intercept me outside the cave?" he asked, looking at the teens.

"We hoped you had a mission for us," answered the Atlantean politely.

"But missions…" started Nathan, but was interrupted by the android, "are the Batman's responsibility," Red Tornado finished.

"But it's been over a week and…" Robin stated, but the android put his hand up interrupting the teens again, "You'll be tested soon enough. For the time being, simply enjoy each other's company."

"This team is not a social club," replied Aqualad, who was also frustrated that the team hasn't received a mission yet.

"Sure does feel like one," mumbled Nathan under his breath. The conversation with Speedy the night before played over and over in his mind.

"No, but I am told social interaction is an important team-building exercise. Perhaps you can keep busy by familiarizing yourself with the cave," Red Tornado said, before making his way back towards The Cave.

"Keep busy," grumbled KF hitting Robin's shoulder. Nathan also understood, because Speedy used those words also last night.

"Does he think we're falling for this?" asked Robin.

"Oh, I'll find out," exclaimed Miss Martian, who also seemed eager to do something to benefit the team. Miss Martian stared intently at Red Tornado and Nathan was going to mention something, but as soon as he was about to talk, Miss Martian looked back at the team, "I'm sorry I forgot, he's a machine. Inorganic, I cannot read his mind," she apologized.

Nathan shrugged his shoulders, "It's all good," he said to Miss M, before looking at Red Tornado again, "They're still keeping us _in our place_. Let's just make our own team without the Justice League" he grumbled, taking a seat in the grass. Aqualad gave him a hard stare, "Or not," Nathan said nonchalantly.

Wally then got closer to Miss M, "So you know what I'm thinking about right now?" he asked flirtatiously.

"We all know what you're thinking now," shot Robin, elbowing Kid Flash.

"And now we tour the clubhouse," said Aqualad, also remembering what Speedy said.

"Well, Superboy and I live here," spoke Miss Martian, "we can play tour guides," she offered.

Nathan took one look at Superboy, who was obviously not keen on the idea of being a tour guide, "Don't look at me," the Superman clone added quickly.

"We won't," Wally answered quickly. He then looked at Miss Martian, "A private tour sounds much more fun," he said leaning into Miss Martian, giving her a wink, as he spoke. Miss Martian smiled back kindly still not sure what to make of Kid Flash's flirting.

"Sh-She never said private," Robin quipped.

"Team building. We all go," Aqualad said. The sternness in his voice stopped everyone else from talking. He then gestured for Miss M to start the tour.

Robin roughly pushed past Kid Flash who was obviously trying to get close to Miss Martian for the tour around the cave. Nathan, as they all walked back inside tapped the back of KF's head before returning his attention back to Miss Martian's tour, "So this would be our front door…"

"And this would be the back," Miss Martian said, continuing the tour, while leading the team to a small platform of rock, "The cave is actually the entire mountain," she said as she led the team back inside. Nathan let out a whistle as he actually took time to admire the cave for once instead of rushing around.

"It was hollowed out by Superman and Green Lantern in the early years of The League," Kid Flash interjected, trying to impress Miss Martian with his knowledge of The Cave. Red Robin just rolled his eyes at the speedster, but did find KF's failed flirting attempts amusing to say the least.

"Then why abandon it for The Hall of Justice?" asked Superboy

"It's secret location was compromised," answered Aqualad, giving his attention to the teenaged clone.

"So they traded it in for a tourist trap?" he rhetorically asked, "Yeah, that makes sense," the boy scoffed, not knowing The League had The Watchtower as its real headquarters.

"If the villains know of the cave, we must be on constant alert!" exclaimed Miss Martian, sounding a little worried as she did so.

Robin then took Miss Martian's hand in his and began to explain things, "The bad guys know we know they know about the place, so they'd never think to look here," the Boy Wonder explained rather quickly, leaving a confused facial expression on the Martian.

Nathan then put his shoulder on Robin, using him as a prop, "What he means to say is that we are hiding in plain sight. You'll get use to his over explanations. I even started to catch myself doing them," he said, trying to explain Robin's wordy explanation, but M'gann still seemed confused, "This one time we were fighting The Joker, and his goons got so tired of us that…"

Red Robin never finished his story cause it was interrupted by Superboy after sniffing the air he said, "I smell smoke," rather calmly.

"My cookies!" gasped Miss Martian who then took off towards The Cave's kitchen. Once she made it to the kitchen, she used her telekinesis to pull the tray of cookies out of the oven and sat them down on the nearby table, "I was trying out Grammy Jones' recipe from episode seventeen of heh, nevermind," she said, stopping herself from rambling.

Nathan looked at the tray that was on the counter and saw the black lumps that were once cookies. He then raised an eyebrow at Kid Flash, who started to actually eat the 'cookies'.

"Bet they had tasted great," Robin said, grinning towards Kid Flash.

"Yeah, Flash Boy doesn't seem to mind," added Red Robin, still with an eyebrow raised, but a smirk started to appear on his face.

Kid Flash then stopped eating and looked at Red Robin, "I have a serious metabolism," he said cautiously, feeling the awkwardness of everyone watching him eat the black lumps.

"I'll make more," said a confused Miss Martian hesitantly, not knowing if she really should or not.

"It was sweet of you to make any," Aqualad said.

"Thanks, Aqualad," Miss Martian politely answered the Atlantean.

"We're off duty, call me Kaldur'ahm. Actually, my friends call me Kaldur," he introduced himself to her.

"I'm Wally," came the yellow and scarlet speedster, trying to sound smooth as he leaned up against the counter where the tray of cookies was, "See I already trust you with my secret ID, unlike the two with dark glasses over there," he said gesturing towards Robin and Red Robin, "Batman's forbidden the Boy Wonders from telling anyone their real names," he said, still trying to impress the Martian.

"If we did go around telling everyone we met our 'secret' IDs then it wouldn't be a secret. I'm surprised you still have a secret ID _Wally_ ," Red Robin retaliated. He smiled and fist bumped his partner when he got a glare from Wally in response.

"Mine's no secret!" said an enthusiastic Miss Martian, "It's M'gann M'orzz, but you can call me Meagan. It's an Earth name and I'm on Earth now," she said cheekily.

Red Robin noticed Superboy turning to take his leave and it didn't take a genius to understand why, but the clone suddenly stopped and turned towards the direction of Miss Martian, "Get out of my head!" he shouted at her, putting his hands on the sides of his heads. The other teens looked at Superboy with questionable looks and then to M'gann.

" _What's wrong?"_ she asked everyone telepathically, _"I don't understand. Everyone on Mars communicates telepathically,"_ she continued to speak telepathically.

The other teens all had their hands on their heads when she 'spoke', not use to the telepathic communication, "M'gann stop!" ordered Aqualad, making M'gann jump in shock, "It's different on Earth. Here your powers are an extreme invasion of privacy," Aqualad explained to her.

Wally then put a hand over his mouth to cover it from Superboy, but he still spoke loudly enough for everyone to hear anyway, "Besides, Cadmus' creepy little psychic g'gnomes left a bad taste in his brain," he said. Red Robin figured Wally was trying to defuse the situation, but he looked between the speedster and the clone to see if Superboy would do anything in retaliation to that, but was surprised when he did nothing.

"I didn't mean to…" but M'gann couldn't finish her apology to the group before she was interrupted.

"Just. Stay. Out." Superboy growled, before making his way to the green couch by the kitchen and taking a seat.

Silence filled the room before M'gann spoke cheerfully once more, "Hello Meagan!" she exclaimed as she hit herself in the forehead, "I know what we can do!" she continued. She then flew out of the room. The other teens exchanged glances with each other before shrugging their shoulders and then followed Miss Martian out of the room.

After they all left and made their way to the elevator Miss Martian stopped, "It's not right to just leave Superboy," she voiced to no one in particular.

"Give him a few minutes he'll calm down," Kid Flash offered, but Miss Martian ignored him.

"I'll be right back," she hastily spoke and zoomed off to go grab the Superman clone.

As they waited for their team members, Red Robin leaned down towards Robin and whispered so no one else could hear, "Dude, what's with you and redheads?" he asked, "You know she seems more into Superboy than Kid Mouth and you," he finished, a smile on his face as he saw his partner's reaction to his question.

Before Robin could respond, an ecstatic Miss Martian along with Superboy appeared and rejoined the rest of the team, "I got Superboy," she spoke happily. Then they all boarded the elevator.

* * *

The elevator ping was heard, and the doors opened allowing the six teens to step out onto the hangar floor. "It's my Martian Bioship," introduced Miss Martian, excited to show her new friends her spaceship.

"Cute," Wally voiced, being the first one to voice his opinion, "Not aerodynamic, but cute."

"We all can't cram into that," Red Robin was the next to comment.

"It's at rest, silly. I'll wake it," Miss Martian said, after chuckling at their reactions. She then raised her hand and pointed it towards the ship. Red Robin watched in awe as the Martian egg transformed into a large and fully operational ship. Miss Martian then waved her hand, and the ship levitated slightly and spun around and the wall in the back, between the two back wings, flowed down opening the back of the ship and also forming a walkway up so they could board.

"Are you all coming?" Miss Martian asked at the other teens who were still gasping at the bioship.

The five teens all gave each other looks and then walked forward, boarding the Martian vessel.

"Now it's a ship," Red Robin spoke in awe still, taking in Miss Martian's ship. Once they were all on the ship, the walkway melted back up into the ship and they all followed Miss Martian. The doors that blocked their path melted into the walls and the teens watched as the empty room responded to Miss Martian's telepathic commands and filled with seats and control panels and one raised seat in the center of the room.

"Strap in for launch," said M'gann. Robin, Red Robin and Wally all looked at each other and grinned and practically raced to their chairs, Kid Flash on one side of the ship and Robin and Red Robin on the other, and instantly after they sat down, organic belts came out from the seat and crossed in front of them, securing them in their seat.

"Ok, I can get use to this," Red Robin commented, taking an instant liking to the Martian bio-ship.

"Red Tornado, please open the bay doors," said M'gann and the hangar doors in front of the ship pulled apart. M'gann lifted her hands and in response two white glowing orbs rose from the ship, supported by bars that were made from the same organic material as the ship and everything inside the ship. As her hands made contact with the orbs, the ship levitated off the ground and took off. After clearing the bay doors, the ship rose into the air and with some commands from Miss Martian, the ship flipped around and headed towards Happy Harbor.

"Incredible!" Robin uttered, changing his view from looking out the window, to looking towards M'gann.

"She sure is," Wally sighed, his voice was more lovestruck as he stared at M'gann. M'gann turned her attention to Wally, who started to stutter and backtrack, "I… I mean the ship, which, like all ships, is a she," he quickly finished, sinking down in his seat and crossing his arms over his chest.

"Fast with his feet…" Robin started, only for his sentence to be finished by his partner in his own chair behind the original Boy Wonder.

"Not so much with his mouth," Red Robin chimed in, getting a laugh out of Robin and also himself.

"Dudes!" Wally exclaimed at them. All he got for a response from the Batman protégés was a fist bump between the two.

M'gann sat in her chair looking at a brooding Superboy who was have a whispered conversation with Aqualad. Not needing superpowers to see what M'gann was thinking Robin leaned in towards M'gann, "He'll come around," he told her reassuringly.

"He doesn't seem to like me much," M'gann sighed, looking from the brooding clone to Robin.

"Give it some time. First time all of us met him, he was trying to crush us all to oblivion," Red Robin spoke trying to lift the Martian's spirits.

"You guys remember he has super hearing, right?" he added, whispering to M'gann, Robin and Red Robin, but Superboy gave no indication that he did hear them at all. Red Robin pondered what powers of Superman's Superboy did have, but that thought was quickly thrown out of his head when Robin spoke up again.

"Hey, how 'bout showing us a little Martian shape-shifting?" Robin asked M'gann trying to change the topic to something more upbeat. M'gann smiled and stood up and black began to rise up from her feet. Seconds later a perfect copy of Robin stood before the group, well almost perfect. You could still tell that this copy of Robin was female, but the detail was a perfect match.

"Nice," replied Red Robin, giving Miss M props. To his surprise, Miss Martian then spun and faced him and Red Robin was now staring at a copy of himself, before she spun towards Kid Flash making a muscular pose for him in her best copy of the speedster.

"Is it wrong that I think I'm hot?" Kid Flash asked in his lovestruck voice, staring at the copy of himself.

"Yes," came the stern one-word answer from Red Robin, arms folded over his chest with a smirk on his face looking at Kid Flash, who groaned at the Bat protégé.

"Impressive," Robin said clapping his hands, after M'gann reverted back to her actual look, "But you know you're not exactly gonna fool anyone with those."

"Still pretty cool though for sure," came the words of applause from Red Robin.

Miss Martian sat back down in her seat, "Mimicking boys is a lot harder," she confessed, showing she hadn't fully mastered the art just yet, but was well on her way and very close to doing so.

"And your clothes?" Aqualad asked, seeing M'gann shift forms and now back in her regular attire.

"They're organic, like the ship," M'gann explained excitedly, "They respond to my mental commands."

"As long as they're the only ones," Superboy voiced, causing an uncomfortable silence on the ship for a few seconds.

Kid Flash then tried to brighten the Martian girl up this time, "Can you do that ghosting through walls thing that Manhunter does?" he asked enthusiastically.

"Density shifting?" M'gann answered in a questioning way, applying the proper name of the power that Kid Flash was trying to describe, "No," she sadly answered, "I…It's a very advanced technique."

Red Robin then noticed his partner lean forward in his seat with a smirk on his face, _'this should be good,'_ he thought inwardly.

"Flash can vibrate his molecules right through a wall," Robin started chuckling as he did so , and Red Robin couldn't contain his own chuckle that came out from seeing KF's facial expression and from personally seeing what happened to KF when he first tried the technique, "When he tries it, bloody nose."

"Dude!" exclaimed Kid Flash.

"Here's something I can do," M'gann grinned. From the outside, the ship began to disappear starting from the front and working its way to the back, "Camouflage mode," she said as the ship continued to fly towards Happy Harbor

"Red Tornado to Miss Martian," the robotic, monotone voice of the red android came over the ship speakers, "An emergency alert has been triggered at the Happy Harbor Power Plant. I suggest you investigate. Covertly. I'm sending coordinates," the android finished.

"Received. Adjusting course," answered M'gann getting the new coordinates and making the proper changes.

"Is it just me, or does The League just like to keep us busy and out of trouble?" asked Red Robin, getting the sneaky feeling that this was just something to occupy them.

"Yes on the busy, no on the out of trouble," replied his younger, but more experienced partner.

"Well a simple fire led you to Superboy. We should find out what caused the alert," Miss Martian reasoned, as she brought the ship down to find a spot to land by the power plant.

"I think I know the cause," said Superboy, looking to his right and seeing a tornado coming right for them. Before M'gann could maneuver the ship out of the way of the growing, swirling vortex, the ship was sucked into the tornado, causing the camouflage mode to short out. Everyone let out a series of grunts as the ship was tossed about inside the vortex. M'gann then finally was able to concentrate again and give the ship some commands and was able to pilot the ship out of the tornado and then was able to land the ship quickly. A decent sized hole opened up on the bottom of the ship and the six heroes dropped down and landed on the ground in the parking lot next to the power plant.

"Robin! Red Robin!" shouted Aqualad above the screams of the other people fleeing from the plant, "Are tornados common in New England?" he asked, but the two aforementioned heroes were already gone and two sets of laughter were heard in the distance.

Robin and Red Robin made a break for the power plant as soon as they dropped down from the bioship and onto the parking lot. Red Robin avoided the crowd of scared workers and made his way over to the wall of the building. On his way over, the windows at the top of the building exploded outwards.

"There's our entrance," he said to his partner, who was right behind him every step of the way.

Red Robin then pulled out his grapple gun and swung himself inside through one of the broken windows and landed on a railing and took cover, while Robin, who landed beside him, then dropped down to the ground floor behind one of the building's support beams.

The inside of the building was being torn apart by high wind gusts and Red Robin then began to search for the cause and it didn't take him long to do so. A red and black android with a brown scarf and two blue cords that went from the android's hands back to his shoulders, which Red Robin assumed made the high wind gusts.

Robin took the initiative and ran out from behind his cover and charged at the android first and as he did so, Red Robin dropped down to the ground floor to join his partner, but as he started his charge a blast of wind shot in his direction, throwing Robin into an unexpected Red Robin, knocking both to the ground.

As the duo sat back up, Superboy leaped down next to the two fallen Bat protégés, "Who's your guys' new friend?" he asked.

"Didn't catch his name," responded Red Robin, rubbing his back from the impact with the ground, as he sat up.

"But he plays kinda rough," Robin spoke, also sitting back up.

"My apologizes," came the monotone voice of their foe, who stood still looking intimidating as continuing pulses of wind emanated from around him, "You may address me as Mister Twister," he answered the Boy Wonder's question before getting ready for his next move.

"Original," muttered the Boy Wonder.

"Yeah, that's a tongue twister," replied Red Robin, who then sighed at his own terrible play on words.

Mister Twister then sent out more winds from his hands that were able to halt the charging Superboy in his tracks. Twister then sent out another burst from his hands and a tornado formed from under Superboy and was strong enough to launch the teen into the back wall, and create a small crater in it, before the superpowered teen fell to the floor.

The other teens exchanged looks with each other and braced themselves. Kid Flash then put on his goggles and he, Aqualad and Miss Martian took off to have their shots at Mister Twister.

Kid Flash zoomed towards Mr. Twister and lunged his whole body at the villain's chest and landed a kick, causing a loud 'ting' to be heard as his feet made contact but the villain then unleashed more winds from his hands and as he did so, turned and launched the speedster out the open doors behind him, before turning and throwing up more wind blasts to counter the charging Aqualad and Miss Martian, sending them flying backwards.

"I was prepared to be challenged by a superhero," the android gloated to the Boy Wonders. Both were now even more angry and armed explosive disks behind both their backs, "I was not however, expecting children" he finished, still gloating.

"We're not children!" yelled Robin and threw his birdarang. Twister countered by throwing up a wall of wind, created by two tornados he summoned in front of him.

"Suck on this!" yelled the other Bat sidekick and threw his disk as well. Robin's disk went into the wall of wind and exploded, cancelling the wall of wind, allowing Red Robin's disk to pierce directly into Mister Twister's chest.

"Objectively, you are," the android continued to gloat, as he flicked the annoyance in his chest away, and the disk exploded in the background, barely leaving a mark where the disk had embedded itself in Twister's chest, "Have you no adult supervision? I find your presence here quite… disturbing," admitted Mister Twister, still gloating and still in total control of the battle.

"Well, we hate to see you disturbed!" shouted the Boy Wonder.

"But let's see if you're more _turbed_ once we kick your tin can!" Red Robin yelled at the villain, taking a stance with the rest of the team, getting ready for the next round.

"You're learning," smirked Robin, looking at his partner, picking up on the word play.

"Yeah, I'm picking up on your bad habits, since you don't have any good ones," Red Robin shot back before the team sprang into action.

Miss Martian went for a distraction and used her telekinesis to pull down a vent cover that was directly over top of Mister Twister covering the villain in smoke. Superboy with a rage filled cry attacked first, but was blown back by Mister Twister and collided with M'gann in the air and the two hurled towards the ground and impacted right in front of the charging trio of Aqualad, Robin and Red Robin who all dodged Superboy and Miss Martian and continued to run at the android, but before they could get close, the android sprang up more twisters which hurled the three around and crashed them together.

"Indeed. That was quite _turbing_. Thank you," the android gloated again before turning and hovering out the door. Red Robin groaned as he stood back up, _I really hate this robot_.

The five heroes made their way outside, just in time to see Wally get launched in the air.

"I got you Wally!" Miss Martian yelled. Acting quickly, M'gann caught the speedster before he could hit the ground.

"Whoa. Thanks," the speedster said, joining The Team for the next round against Twister.

"I would have thought you had all learned your limitations by now," Twister remarked, seeing the team still wanting to pick a fight with him, as he floated in the air.

"What do you want?" yelled Aqualad taking a few steps towards Mister Twister, arms raised.

"Isn't it obvious?" asked Twister, rising higher into the air, "I'm waiting for a real hero."

Aqualad looked back at Miss Martian who was currently standing between the two Gothamites, "Read his mind. Find a weakness," Aqualad ordered.

"Ehh… I thought I wasn't supposed to do that," Miss Martian replied unsure about using the power.

"You can read the minds of the people trying to kill us!" Red Robin shouted. He didn't mean to sound annoyed, but Mister Twister was getting on everyone's nerves at this point.

M'gann closed her eyes and focused on Mister Twister, "Nothing. I'm getting nothing," she said frustrated, before coming to a realization, "Hello Meagan!" she shouted, bumping her forehead, "Mister Twister is Red Tornado in disguise! He's inorganic, an android and how many android do you know that can generate tornados?" she asked the team, feeling triumphant with herself for figuring out Tornado's little game.

"Red Tornado sent us here," Aqualad angrily grumbled.

"After saying we'd be tested soon enough," added Red Robin.

"This is his test! Something to keep us busy," the other not so happy Boy Wonder frustratingly spoke.

"Speedy called it," sighed Kid Flash, "We're a joke."

"Unh!" the angered Atlantean grumbled, ponding his hands together, showing his anger at the situation. He then made his way towards Mister Twister flanked by Robin, Red Robin and Kid Flash.

"This game, so over," said the speedster, spreading his arms.

The four made their way towards the hovering android, "We know who you are!" shouted Red Robin, pointing a finger at the floating annoyance.

"And what you want!" piped in Robin, also pointing a finger.

"So let's end this," Aqualad growled, spreading his arms.

"Consider it ended," agreed the android. Mister Twister then let off two more tornados that rose towards the sky and formed another, bigger tornado between the two, but it also turned the sky dark and the clouds gray.

"An impressive show!" shouted the Atlantean, "But we will not indulge you. We will not engage!" he continued to shout towards the android, who was still concentrating on what he was about to do to the team. Thunder boomed and then streaks of lightning appeared behind Twister.

"Uhh, can Red Tornado do that?" asked Kid Flash

"Ummm," came the response of Red Robin, still watching the sky.

"You think I'm Tornado? Ironic," said the unamused twister fiend.

"Oh crap," was all anyone heard of Red Robin before lightning came down and explosions rocked the ground, throwing everyone back. Red Robin put his arms up to defend himself out of habit, not that it would have done anything. All Red Robin heard was a ringing in his ears before darkness overtook his vision.

"Red Robin? Double R wake up," Red Robin heard someone say. He opened his eyes a little, but the picture he got was all fuzzy, so he blinked a few times to bring his vision into focus and found Robin standing next to him with an arm stretched out. Red Robin took it and his partner helped him up.

"What happened?" asked a curious speedster to M'gann.

"I…I placed the bio-ship between us," she answered him with gilt laced through her words.

Superboy's anger got the better of him and he punched a rock twice, that was in the kicked-up pile of rock behind him before he turned to face M'gann, "And that's suppose to make it right?" hollered Superboy at the Martian, "You tricked us into thinking Twister was Red Tornado!" he continued to yell, taking steps towards M'gann who was still kneeling on the ground.

"She didn't do it on purpose," Aqualad spoke, steeping in to defend the female Martian and reason with Superboy.

"It was a rookie mistake," Robin agreed.

"We shouldn't have listened," Red Robin added, nodding in agreement with Robin and Aqualad.

"You are pretty inexperienced," said Kid Flash, reluctantly siding with the others, "Hit the showers. We'll take it from here," he said, pointing back towards the team base with his thumb over his shoulder. Superboy then walked in front of Wally and looked down at the still kneeling M'gann, "Stay out of our way," he said, before taking off to deal with Mister Twister, followed closely by Kid Flash.

"Let's go," Robin said to his fellow Gothamite, pointing in the direction the other two ran off in.

Stealing one last look at M'gann, Red Robin turned and walked at first, "Yeah, right behind you," he said and then he and Robin took off in a sprint.

When Robin, Red Robin and Aqualad arrived, they found Mister Twister already in progress of wrecking the town he was in and already engaged in combat with Superboy and Kid Flash. The three waisted no time in continuing to run into the fray and join their two teammates.

"Totally a _dis_ aster," Red Robin said, while the three of them vaulted over a car, just in time to see Superboy crushed by a speedboat and Mister Twister to turn and greet them with more tornadoes. Robin broke right, while Aqualad and Red Robin continued to rush forwards after dodging another tornado. As they rushed forwrds Aqualad wasn't able to dodge the next one and he got picked up by another and thrown into a two-story building. Red Robin continued to rush forward, but a tornado formed in front of him and after whirling him around, shot him back the way he came.

Red Robin made contact with the ground and skidded across the ground. He stopped by a boat that was sticking straight up in the ground and rolled behind it for cover, while Superboy and Aqualad again made runs at Twister. A few seconds later, Robin and Kid Flash also made their way behind the makeshift cover of the grounded boat, watching the combat that was taking place in front of them.

"You guys brought your utility belts?" Kid Flash asked, looking behind him to see Robin and Red Robin strapping on their yellow belts.

"Never leave home without it," Robin shot back, "First thing Batman taught us."

"Yeah, right after never go to the bathroom without it," mumbled the speedster, rolling his eyes.

"Your just jealous of all the toys," Red Robin retorted, pulling out a birdarang and throwing it at Mister Twister, who simply caught it. The birdarang exploded in his hand, but when the smoke cleared, Twister was unaffected by it.

"Immaterial and Insufficient!" Mister Twister criticized whoever threw the birdarang, since he couldn't see who.

"Yeah," scoffed Wally, "I'm so jealous," rolling his eyes again.

" _Listen to me!"_ the voice of M'gann shouting in their minds, _"All of you!"_ she stated in a demanding tone.

Red Robin clutched at his head, as well as the other two around him. Superboy's yelling in his head didn't help either, _"What did we tell you?!"_ he scolded, but Red Robin heard iT in his head and he clutched at it harder.

" _I know! And I know I messed up, but now I'm very clear on what we need to do,"_ she replied telepathically still in her take charge voice, _"Please trust me."_

" _So what did you have in mind?"_ Red Robin asked, _"No pun intended,"_ he quickly added, and M'gann explained what her plan was to them. Kid Flash, Robin and Red Robin all looked at each other and nodded.

The five heroes regrouped and made their way towards Mister Twister, who froze on his actions of tormenting the civilians still running for cover, and looked in the air above the team, and all five heroes also looked up as well. Above the team and making his decent down in front of them was none other than Red Tornado.

"Hit the showers, boys. I was hoping you could handle this. Clearly you cannot," said the android, landing on the ground in front of the team.

"But we got a plan now," argued Robin.

"We just nee–" Red Robin was about to argue as well, but was interrupted by the red android.

"The subject is not up for debate," Red Tornado interjected, shutting up the two bats, causing all of them to lower their heads and sulk away.

Red Robin and the others, once they were a safe distance away, began to enact their plan. Robin and Red Robin took cover behind a vehicle till it was their turn. Kaldur made his way into the water and Kid Flash and Superboy also hid, waiting for their cue to strike. Once in position, Red Robin focused back on the fight between Twister and Tornado.

"I was beginning to believe you would never show up," shouted Twister to his new and finally worthy foe.

"We are evenly matched Twister," spoke the android, who then pointed both hands towards the ground behind him and then hurled big pieces of rock towards Mister Twister.

"No Tornado we are not!" Twister shouted slamming his hand into the ground in front of him, creating a wall that shielded him from the incoming rocks. After blocking the last of the rock, Twister shot back with his lightning, which Red Tornado levitated off the ground and began to avoid the strikes, however the lightning struck a boat that was wedged into the ground causing it to explode and start a fire near Tornado, which caused the android to crash to the ground and spark.

Mister Twister then moved in and outstretched one of his hands, "Remain still android. The reprogramming won't take long," he mumbled in a menacing voice, as wires sprung from his fingertips and went to the head and neck area of Red Tornado attaching themselves to the downed android.

Red Tornado's head suddenly jerked forward, looking at Twister and a hand shot up and grabbed the wires. The head of Tornado slowly morphed into M'gann's head, but still possessed the body of Red Tornado, "Longer than you might think," M'gann stated.

"No," said a surprised Mister Twister, before M'gann using her telekinesis pushed Twister into Wally's own tornado he created. Wally using his tornado, sent a tumbling Mister Twister towards Superboy. Superboy grabbed onto Twister's left arm with a vice grip, and then landed several good punches into Twister's chest area, causing Twister to spark from the damage that he was taking.

Superboy, with one final blow, shot Twister across the dock and then the android plunged into the water. Several seconds later, there was a giant explosion from the water and Twister emerged back on the dock.

M'gann wasting no time, used her telekinesis to lift what was left of Twister into the air beside her and then used her powers to rip off his other arm and then held him in midair as Robin and Red Robin came out from behind their cover and threw birdarangs at the android, which exploded on impact, sending Twister face first plummeting into the ground.

As the heroes gathered and approached Twister, he knelt on his knees and his chest opened up, revealing a man, who then slumped to the ground, "Foul, I-I call foul," he said, looking up at the team from his place on the ground. M'gann using her telekinesis lifted up a rock off the ground and then dropped it on top of the man, despite Aqualad shouting no at her.

The entire team had wide eyes at what M'gann had just done. Robin was first to snap out of his daze, "Don't know how things are done on Mars, but on Earth, we don't _execute our captives!_ " he shouted at her.

M'gann smirked at his outburst, which got Red Robin to raise an eyebrow, "I thought you trusted me?" she asked, as she lifted the rock, showing what was left of the human android.

"Huh," was the first thing out of Red Robin's mouth, "An android controlling another android from inside….creepy," shaking his head and making a 'yuck' expression.

Wally walked forward and knelt down to what was left of the human android and found an eyeball, "Cool. Souvenir," he stated, putting the eyeball in his pocket.

Aqualad walked up beside M'gann, putting a hand on her shoulder, "We should have had more faith in you," he said, apologizing.

"Yeah, you _rocked_ this mission," Wally said, "Get it? _Rocked"_ which nobody laughed to at all.

"Ignore him. We're all just turbed you're on the team," said Robin, shaking his head at Wally.

"Thanks, me too" M'gann replied, happy that she was accepted.

"Yeah, sorry about earlier," Red Robin apologized for how they treated her after the earlier fiasco, "Definitely glad you're on the team."

"Thanks," M'gann said cheerfully, replying to Red Robin's apology and to him congratulating her on being part of the team.

* * *

Inside Mount Justice late at night, the team was huddled around a table with the bits and pieces of what was left from the human looking android, that was inside Mister Twister.

"It was clearly made to sabotage or destroy you," Aqualad stated, addressing Red Tornado.

"Agreed," the android replied.

"Is that why you didn't help us?" M'gann asked.

"No," came the blunt answer of the android, "It was your battle. I do not believe it is my role to solve your problems for you, nor should you solve mine for me," he answered, getting looks from the rest of the team.

"Well if you're in danger and we can help…" Red Robin started.

"Consider this matter closed," Red Tornado interjected, before walking off.

Wally and Robin watched the android leave, "Batman, Aquaman, and Flash, they'd have jumped right in to fix things," stated Wally.

"Guess if we're going to have a babysitter, then a heartless machine is exactly what we need," Robin sighed, guesting towards Red Tornado with his hand.

Red Robin came up behind Robin and put his hand on his shoulder, "That was harsh partner," Red Robin scolded, shaking his head.

"And inaccurate," Red Tornado spoke, showing the team was still in hearing range, "I have a heart; carbon steel alloy," Red Tornado explained. Tornado then stopped and looked at the three boys who were just talking about him, "I also have excellent hearing," he added.

Red Robin nudged his partner in the back with his elbow, "Right. I'll strive to be more accurate," Robin spoke, letting out a nervous sigh.

"And more respectful," Red Robin added.

Kaldur made his way over to where his three friends stood, "Speedy…" Red Robin began.

"Was so wrong," Kid Flash continued.

"This team thing," Robin echoed.

"Might just work out after all," Kaldur added, closing the matter on that topic.

Red Robin's feelings on the team started to finally feel good. The accidental mission today made him feel like Batman wasn't sending him and Robin off to a daycare or some far-off school for troubled teenaged superheroes.

 **Hey ladies and gents. So here's the update and again I apologize for the extra wait. There wasn't much to change in this chapter since it mostly just follows the episode. Just changed some small action scenes with Mister Twister and some of the custom dialogue I threw in. If some of the custom dialogue is familiar I mostly just tweaked the dialogue from my Green Lantern story, which I do plan to continue, just not sure when. Still trying to work on some bugs.**

 **Also dont forget to leave a review ans as usual PM ideas or questions. I also wanted to thank everyone for being supportive even after I messed up and had to redo some things for the story**


	5. Drop Zone

**Hey guys, here is the next chapter. If any of you had read my other story, some of the beginning will sound similar. I liked the relationship I built with that OC and Barbara and wanted to bring that over to this one as well, since it would be a nice starting point to further build the relationship between Nathan and Barbara. If any of you have ideas of how you want their first actual romantic encounter to look like please PM me cause writing romance scenes are a weakness of mine, also why I wanted to try this because I want to get better at those types of scenes.**

 **Anyway, I don't own anything DC just my OC. Now onto the story...**

 **PREVIOUSLY ON YOUNG JUSTICE…**

"But Cadmus proves the bad guys are getting smarter. Batman needs a team that can operate on the sly," chimed in Aquaman.

"The six of you will be that team," Batman spoke, continuing where Aquaman left off.

"This is Martian Manhunter's niece, Miss Martian," explained Batman, as the two Martians made their way towards the group.

"Hi" she nervously waved at the group of heroes.

Brick kicked the gun up to his hand and pointed it up in the air in the direction of the arrow, "You Again! I'm startin' to get insulted Green Arrow's not messin' up my operations personally," he shouted angrily at Speedy, who was watching the crime boss from above.

After a few more dodges, Speedy stopped and fired an arrow that went right into the barrel of the gun Brick was holding and exploded, ruining the crime boss' expensive suit.

Brick saw his ruined suit and was enraged even more, "Do you know what I pay for a suit in my size?!" he yelled up at the archer.

"Don't know, but there's a nice free orange suit your size at Belle Reve," came a voice over the area, but Brick didn't know who it belonged to. He then looked up and found out. Falling through the air, cape flapping as he did so, was Red Robin.

Robin and Red Robin propped themselves up against some crates, while Aqualad just stood.

"So, Speedy," Red Robin started to say.

"You in?" finished Robin.

Before making his leave, Speedy stopped in between the Boy Wonders and Aqualad, and looked at Robin, "Pass. I'm done letting arrow and The League tell me what to do," he answered, "I don't need a babysitter or a clubhouse to hang out with the other kids. Your Junior Justice League is a joke, something to keep you busy and in your place."

"My apologizes," came the monotone voice of their foe, who stood still looking intimidating as continuing pulses of wind emanated from around him, "You may address me as Mister Twister," he answered the Boy Wonder's question before getting ready for his next move.

Superboy then walked in front of Wally and looked down at the still kneeling M'gann, "Stay out of our way," he said, before taking off to deal with Mister Twister, followed closely by Kid Flash.

"Hit the showers, boys. I was hoping you could handle this. Clearly you cannot," said Red Tornado, landing on the ground in front of the team.

"But we got a plan now," argued Robin.

"We just nee–," Red Robin was about to argue as well, but was interrupted by the red android.

"The subject is not up for debate," Red Tornado interjected.

Mister Twister then moved in towards his fallen android foe, and outstretched one of his hands, "Remain still android. The reprogramming won't take long," he mumbled in a menacing voice.

The head of Tornado slowly morphed into M'gann's head, but still possessed the body of Red Tornado, "Longer than you might think," M'gann stated.

"No," said a surprised Mister Twister.

"Yeah, you _rocked_ this mission," Wally said, "Get it? _Rocked"_ which nobody laughed to at all.

"Ignore him. We're all just turbed you're on the team," said Robin, shaking his head at Wally.

"Thanks, me too" M'gann replied, happy that she was accepted.

"Speedy…" Red Robin began.

"Was so wrong," Kid Flash continued.

"This team thing," Robin echoed.

"Might just work out after all," Kaldur added, closing the matter on that topic.

 **YOUNG JUSTICE**

 **DROP ZONE**

 **GOTHAM CITY**

 **JULY 21, 16:53 EDT**

"We haven't done this in a while," Nathan whispered, putting a case box on the table in front of him that had a dim light source from a nearby lamp.

Another person joined him by his side and dropped another case box on the table, "I know. Ever since we started doing this together, I can't go by myself anymore. Just not the same or as fun," Barbara admitted. The two of them started to look at the old case files like two kids unwrapping presents on Christmas morning.

Barbara's father, Commissioner Gordon, used to yell at the two of them whenever they did this, but since the one night when the two looked through a case and actually pointed out to Commissioner Gordon they were going on a wild goose chase created by The Riddler, which eventually led to the capture of the crazed villain. Barbara's father became more lenient on them as long as they cleaned up and put everything back the way they found it.

Barbara used to have to be careful doing this with Nathan when Lily's case file was still in the unsolved case files because those were the ones they usually looked at, but she didn't have to worry about it long because a few weeks later, GCPD found the guy all tied up in an alley by who the GCPD assumed was Batman.

Hours had passed and the two teen sleuths were trying to solve a particular cold case that wasn't adding up. The two both agreed that something was missing, but they both weren't sure what it was. Nathan was glad Bruce or Batman wasn't here because both would be reprimanding him for not being able to solve it.

The two were still going at it when a repeated knock came from the doorway that lead into the room they were both in. Barbara jumped and fell back into Nathan, who quickly caught her in his arms, but seeing who was in the doorway quickly propped her back on her feet and put his attention back to the case on the table.

"Hey sweetie," Commissioner Gordon spoke, acknowledging his daughter.

"Hey dad," she replied, gaining her composure back after being started by her father's knocking.

"I was able to manage the rest of the night off and was going to go home and try to make supper. Maybe this time I won't get called away," he spoke to his daughter, lightly chuckling at the last part. Barbara also did a small laugh before her father continued, "I'll wait for you down in the lobby. Oh, and Nathan?" Commissioner Gordon then waited till the young teen's attention before continuing.

Nathan stopped when the Commissioner said his name and gave the man his undivided attention, "You're also welcome to join us tonight if you'd like," the Commissioner stated.

Nathan looked from the Commissioner to Barbara, who smiled at him, "I'll have to check with Bruce first. I promised him I'd help him tonight but if he lets me then I don't see why not. Are you sure sir?" Nathan asked, he couldn't help but feel like he was invading, "I know you don't get a lot of time to spend with your daughter and I don't want to–"

"Nonsense," Commissioner Gordon interrupted, "You check in with Mr. Wayne and I'll wait for the two of you out front of the precinct,"

"Alright dad," Barbara spoke, excitement in her voice, "We'll be down after we clean up in here," she informed her father, who then nodded and took his leave and went to go wait for the two teens where he said he'd be.

Nathan pulled out his phone to text Bruce, while Barbara packed up the two case file boxes on the table;

 _Hey Bruce. Commissioner Gordon asked me over to dinner tonight,_

 _is it ok if I go or do you need me to help with tonight?_

 _Go ahead. Dick and I can take care of tonight._

 _Thanks boss._

After getting his reply from Bruce, Nathan put his phone away, "That's that. Bruce gave me the all clear," he said to Barbara.

"Great, now you can have the all clear to help me carry these two boxes back over to the shelf," she stated, one hand on her hip, while leaning on one of the boxes, trying to act mad, but a very small smile on her face told Nathan she was only kidding, which he was thankful for.

"Yeah, yeah," he sarcastically complained, picking up one of the boxes, while Barbara grabbed the other.

Nathan and Barbara carried their case boxes down the narrow aisle between the shelving. The shelving had nothing but box after box of case files. Finding where their boxes went, Nathan hoisted his box up in the proper spot and went to slide past Barbara, but as he did so, lost his balance and knocked the box that Barbara was carrying on the ground. Before he completely fell over though he put his hands on the shelf that was behind Barbara to steady himself. Barbara also acting quickly had placed her hands on his chest to hold him up as well.

When Nathan's senses finally returned, he realized the predicament he was in. Barbara stood pinned with her back against the shelving behind her and Nathan was only inches away, his hands using the shelving behind Barbara to keep himself from completely falling on top of her. Both teens stood frozen looking at each other for what seemed like an eternity.

"Ummm," Nathan got out, the nerves in his stomach were making themselves known and also making it difficult for him to form words, "T-Thanks for the s-save," came his whispered response. He was trying not to show it when he spoke, but his voice still came out a little shaky.

"Don't mention it," Barbara responded, her voice doing the same, but she was doing a better job of hiding it then Nathan was. Barbara's hands though still didn't leave his chest. Her eyes were still locked on his and Nathan couldn't look away, the way her eyes looked in the dim light of the room made it hard for him to think or do anything clearly at the moment.

"I-I'll uh," Nathan sputtered out, his words still having trouble forming, his hands went from the shelving behind Barbara to her shoulders, "grab that b-box for you, least I can d-do," he said, but moving to grab the box took him a few extra seconds to do.

"Thanks," Barbara sighed out, still up against the shelving, but her hands finally left Nathan's chest, which seemed to kick Nathan out of his current state and allowed him to grab the box off the floor and put it away. She heard Nathan mutter about going to grab his things and when he left the aisle she was still in, she let out a nervous sigh and blew a few strands of hair from out of her face. As she made her own way to go grab her stuff, a small smile was on her face.

 **CARIBBEAN SEA**

 **JULY 22, 20:08 ECT**

The bio-ship flew covertly above the dark clouds of the night sky, "We're approaching Santa Prisca," Miss Martian informed the others, sitting in their usual spots aboard the bio-ship.

In front of Red Robin, sat his crime fighting partner, Robin. Red Robin noticed Robin seemed to be zoned out and a smirk was present on his face. Red Robin rolled his eyes at his partner, because it didn't take a genius to realize what the original Boy Wonder was thinking about.

Batman had briefed the team about the first mission he was sending them on. Batman had decided to send the team to an island nation known as Santa Prisca, which was the primary source of a dangerous and illegal neo-steroid known as Venom. However, the nation's supply of the steroid was inexplicably cut off and Batman wanted the team to _covertly_ recon the island since infrared scanners indicated the factory was still running at full capacity.

Robin's question stuck with Red Robin though, _"So who's in charge?"_ Red Robin noticed that Robin silently promoted himself to team leader and he honestly was fine with that. His worst fear was that Kid Flash would try and become leader. He thought for a whole two seconds about being leader, but threw that idea aside because Robin had more experience then he did and also to be honest, he didn't see himself as a good leader. He saw himself as a better 'second in command' until he got more experience. After a couple more years under his belt, maybe then he'd reevaluate himself as being a leader of a team. Until then, he was content with just being a part of the team.

After a while of glancing out the window of the bio-ship, Red Robin too also zoned out on a memory of his.

 _Nathan had just finished his last class of the day and was hurrying through the crowd of students to find his friend Barbara. Nathan had finally gotten Barbara to agree to talk to Lily to see if she was interested in him, so he combed through the crowd of students till he finally found her._

" _Babs what did she say?" he asked impatiently._

 _Barbara only smirked, "My day was fine, thanks for asking," she said with an annoyed voice and expression._

 _Nathan only narrowed his eyes slightly at her, "Come on Babs, you said you would talk to her for me, so what did she say? Does she like me back? Come on, please tell me," he begged her as they walked out of the school and started their walks to their homes._

" _I agreed to talk to her, but I didn't say I would tell you" she smirked at him, then she started to quicken her pace._

" _Babs!" Nathan yelled out to her, running to catch up, "I just want to know what she said to you" Nathan pleaded with her._

" _Who said what to her?" came another voice. Nathan turned and saw Lily catching up to them._

" _Well that's my cue to leave. Have fun you two" said Barbara taking another road that lead down to GCPD._

 _Nathan looked up at Lily, who had a smirk on her face. Though she quickly covered it up with a hand when she started to chuckle at how red Nathan was._

" _L-Lily would y-you…."_

"Drop Zone "A" in thirty," announced Miss Martian pulling Nathan back into the present.

The Atlantean stood up and instantly his seat dissolved back into the floor of the bio-ship. Aqualad then pressed his Atlantean symbol on his belt and the top of his outfit went from red to a dark gray while his pants shifted from blue to black, "Ready."

"Putting bio-ship in camouflage mode," said Miss Martian.

On the outside, the red and blue ship melted into the darkened sky. Miss Martian then brought the bio-ship down closer to the water so that the underside was almost skimming the surface of the water. Once in position, she opened a hatch at the bottom of the ship, allowing Aqualad to dive out into the water.

Once Aqualad was in the water, Miss Martian sealed the hatch and had the bio-ship regain some altitude and then stopped a few feet away from the shore of the island and waited for Aqualad's signal.

" _Heat and motion sensors are patched. Data is now on a continuous loop. Move in."_

Miss Martian then moved the bio-ship slowly inland to the next drop zone, "Drop Zone "B"," stated the Martian as she stopped the ship over the drop point.

Red Robin, along with the rest of the team stood up and their chairs they were sitting on melted into the ground and then dropping down from the ceiling of the bio-ship were ascension cables for each team member.

Red Robin attached his cable to his utility belt and looked over at Kid Flash, who just activated his new stealth tech, "How cool is this?" he asked, looking more at M'gann than anyone else.

"Very impressive," she spoke before closing her eyes and concentrating on her own new stealth look. Her entire costume transformed into a black full body suit.

"Uh, that works too," Kid Flash spoke dreamily. Finally remembering to close his mouth and focus, he then turned to Superboy, "Hey Supey, not too late to put on the new stealth tech."

"No capes, no tights, no offense," Superboy responded, crossing his arms.

"It totally works for you," Miss Martian babbled away, starring at Superboy. Red Robin rolled his eyes, but Miss Martian attempted to save herself after gaining Superboy's attention, "In that you can totally do good work in those clothes," she spoke quickly, throwing her hands up in defense.

Miss Martian put her hood up and turned into her own camouflage mode and opened up a hole in the floor like she did for Aqualad and made her decent to the ground, followed by Robin, Red Robin and Kid Flash, who lowered themselves down on the cables from the bio-ship.

Red Robin landed on the ground, his boots sinking into the muddy ground slightly. Robin and Kid Flash landed next to him and Miss Martian was also in the area. The cables disappeared and Red Robin along with everyone else noticed something falling down towards them. Acting quickly the teen heroes dived aside just in time to avoid the falling Superboy who landed on the ground with a loud thum.

"Knew I didn't need a line," Superboy smirked to himself, standing up in the middle of his crater as the cloud of dust continued to disperse around him.

"And yet," Robin exclaimed from his place on the ground, which was having his back up against a nearby tree, "creating a seismic event may not have helped us much with the covert," he chastised the super clone. Red Robin made his way over to Robin and offered him a hand, pulling his Gothamite partner back to his feet.

"Aqualad, Drop "B" is go," Miss Martian spoke into the comms, as she floated back down towards the ground. The others huddled around the Boy Wonders as Robin had a holographic map from his wrist computer.

" _Head for the factory. I'll track your GPS and rendezvous ASAP,"_ Aqualad responded back.

"Roger that," Robin responded. He then pointed out the factory's location on the map, before deactivating it and took off in the direction they needed to go, closely followed by the others.

The constant bird calling and now the noise of rushing water from a nearby waterfall, made it easy for the teens to sneak through the jungle. Robin led the team through the jungle and a few paces behind him was Red Robin. Red Robin was surprised at how they still haven't met any resistance after the Superboy earthquake, but he wasn't going to start complaining about that. Kid Flash, was then behind Red Robin and Superboy and Miss Martian brought up the rear, each staying a few paces away from the other.

Red Robin easily climbed his way up some rocks that Robin had gone up previously. Once at the top, Red Robin made his way over to his partner. Robin brought up his holographic map again, once everyone made it over the rocky cliff. Red Robin looking over his partner's shoulder noticed the 'Danger: Mines Detected' warning and the clear path to take to avoid them.

Red Robin was about to say something, but Superboy spoke first, "Did you hear that?" the clone spoke quietly and quickly. Red Robin acting on instinct dove into the jungle bushes and made his way up a tree. Once finding a good perch high up in the tree, he was about to look for Robin, but Kid Flash spoke, bringing his attention back to the others.

"Ok, Rob now what?" Kid Flash asked, turning to find not only just Robin, but also a missing Red Robin, "Man, I hate it when they do that," he grumbled.

Red Robin then noticed his partner a few tree limbs ahead and made his way quietly over to the tree Robin was at, landing on a different tree limb.

" _Superboy, Kid, switch to infrared. See if you're being tracked,"_ Aqualad chimed in through the comms.

Kid Flash dropped his goggles down from his head and switched them to infrared, "Got a squad of armed bozos incoming," he stated, moving forward and taking cover. Superboy and Miss Martian joined him seconds later. Robin and Red Robin followed the group from the trees, still not making their presence known yet.

"Two squads," came the correction from Superboy, "but they'll meet each other before they find us,"

Just then gunfire lit up the jungle, "No super hearing required now," responded Kid Flash moving from behind his cover and taking steps towards the gunfire.

" _Swing wide, steer clear."_

"Yeah, yeah," Kid Flash spoke quickly starting to take off towards the gunfire, "Just as soon as I find the bat brats," he finished, taking off into a full speed run. Red Robin literally face palmed as KF took off. He then looked at his partner next to him and they both nodded and took off through the trees after KF.

On his way to find the Boy Wonders, Kid Flash slipped sending himself tumbling down the muddy slope. Again, as Robin and Red Robin followed him, Red Robin face palmed, making a slightly visible red spot now on his forehead, "Are you kidding me?" Red Robin sighed. Kid Flash yelled as he slid and the gunfire temporarily stopped.

Kid Flash continued to slid down the slope and right into the middle of the firefight. When he finally came to a stop, he came face to face with a very big, muscular man who wore a black and white mask, "So much for the stealthy," he nervously muttered. Then the gunfire opened up again, but this time all guns were pointed at the formally stealthy speedster. Kid Flash back flipped away from the masked man and took off, avoiding the spray of bullets that continuously followed him.

Superboy came from nowhere and collided with the masked man, tackling him. On their way to the ground, the masked villain elbowed Superboy in the head, causing Superboy to take the blunt of the impact from the ground. Using one arm, the masked villain locked one of Superboy's arms, while using his other arm to pin the clone's head to the ground. Superboy however got lose of the arm lock, temporally shocking the masked man enough for Superboy to grab the man's shirt and throw him. The villain made a hard and solid impact with a tree.

Kid Flash continued to dodge bullet spray after bullet spray. Red Robin sighed one more time before he and Robin leapt down from their tree and landed on the top of two gunman. Using the momentum, Robin and Red Robin each pushed off their own gunman, forcing the two to collide together then drop to the ground. Robin landed on the ground and looked for his next goon.

Robin, finding his, landed an uppercut to the man's jaw, "Hyah! What is wrong with you guys?" he asked as he landed the punch. He then jumped up and performed a spinning kick to the man's face, "Remember covert?" he asked as the gunman fell to the ground, "Why didn't you follow my lead, vanish into the jungle?"

Red Robin when he kicked off the first gunman, landed on the shoulders of his next guy. Using his momentum, he then flipped the man to the ground, and then punched the down gunman in the head to knock him out, "I did," he responded. He then acting quick, threw a birdarang, at a nearby gunman knocking the gun from the man's hands. He then rushed the man and pulling out his own collapsed red bo staff, activated it and made quick work of the man, "Just… putting… that… out… there," he added with every swing that connected with the gunman. Catching the attention of several gunmen who surrounded him, he quickly dropped smoke and vanished from view.

"That's what you two were doing? Way to fill us in. We're not mind readers you know," the speedster complained as he laid punch after punch on another gunman. The gunman was down and out before he even could realize what happened. Just then two more thugs, flew through the air and collided with a tree behind Kid Flash. The two thugs, were quickly followed by Miss Martian, "Er, I'm not anyway," KF quickly added.

"You told me I could only read the bad guys' minds," Miss Martian stated.

Red Robin's smoke finally cleared up, leaving him surrounded by three goons who were out cold on the ground, but one goon ran out of the smoke and was trying to make his escape as he pulled out a walkie talkie to radio a warning. Before he could however, Aqualad dropped down in front of the man and put a hand on his chest and shocked the goon, dropping him. Aqualad then proceeded to smash the walkie with his foot.

Red Robin let out a sigh, "Time to clean up the mess," he groaned as he started to help with tying up the unconscious goons.

The team, in the middle of the Santa Prisca jungle, stood amongst themselves deciding on what to do after they had tied up the two squads of goons. One group was tied around one tree and the other around a different one using rope.

"These uniforms belong to the Cult of the Kobra," Red Robin stated, recognizing the red uniforms on some of the knocked-out thugs.

"I am certain Batman would have mentioned it if he knew a dangerous extremist was running Santa Prisca's Venom operation," Aqualad replied to the Bat protégé.

"Agreed," Robin spoke next, showing he had come to the same conclusion, "and since there's clearly no love lost between the cultists and those goons," Robin said, thinking out loud, continuing his train of thought, putting a hand on his chin as he continued to speak, "I'm betting Kobra came in and tossed them out. That's why normal supply lines have been cut off," he concluded, filling in the rest of the group.

"We get it. Kobra wanted super cultists, mystery solved. Radio Bats, and we'll be home in time for…" Kid Flash spoke but was cut off by Red Robin.

"Actually…" but that was all Red Robin got out before he too was interrupted, this time by Robin.

"These cultists aren't on venom. Kobra's hoarding the stuff. We don't leave, not until I know why," Robin spoke, putting on his puzzled face as he tried to fit the pieces together.

"That's what I was going to…" Red Robin tried to chime in again to his partner, but was interrupted by an angered Kid Flash.

"Until _you_ know why?!" Kid Flash asked angrily.

"This team needs a leader," Robin retorted, getting ready to defend his reasons why he should be the team's leader.

"And it's you? Dude you're a thirteen year old kid, who…" but Kid Flash got his turn of being interrupted.

"Um _dude_ ," interrupted Red Robin, "this _thirteen year old kid_ has gotten me out of some life threating situations before," Red Robin spoke sternly, defending his partner.

"Yeah whatever," Kid Flash shot back, "You two ducked out on us without a word," Kid Flash finished, standing his ground against the Boy Wonders.

"So you think you should be our leader?" asked Red Robin, "You blew our cover first chance you got," he verbally shot at the speedster, "Why do you even wear your stealth tech? You still can't be quiet!" he finished yelling at the speedster before turning away, walking in the direction of Aqualad, not able to stand the bickering that was going on anymore, though that was partly his fault as well since he participated in it, even though he only did so to back his partner.

"You don't even have superpowers!" yelled Kid Flash at Robin. Kid Flash also started walking away from Robin but the young Gothamite just followed the speedster, not ready to let Kid Flash have the final word.

Aqualad slowly leaned down to whisper to Red Robin, "You do not wish to lead?" he asked, curious as to why Red Robin just stopped arguing and walked away letting the speedster and his partner finish their confrontation.

Red Robin shook his head slowly, "I wouldn't make a good leader. I'm more of a… loyal second to the leader. Robin has more experience anyway," Red Robin explained, "I still got some things to learn," he finished, keeping his eye on the still quarreling teens.

"You're not Batman!" Kid Flash angrily yelled, retorting Robin's last statement.

"Closest thing we got," Robin shot back.

"You wouldn't have superpowers either if you didn't go out of your way to recreate Flash's science experiment," Red Robin put in.

Kid Flash turned on him, but before anything else could be said, the muscular, masked man started to laugh, causing Red Robin to make his way over to the masked goon, "Such clever niños, but you only know half the story," said the man, the rest of the team gathered around Red Robin, "Let me show you the rest, get you into the factory via my secret entrance."

"Miss Martian," called Red Robin.

"Hello Meagan," she calmly stated, before she knelt down in front of the masked man to read his mind, "There is a secret entrance, but he's also hiding something," she stated before her eyes glowed white, as she tried to dive deeper into the man's mind for the thing he was hiding.

"Ah, ah, ah, chica. Bane is not that easy," the man now known as Bane warned, giving the Martian girl a smirk, as he figured out what she was trying to accomplish.

"Ohh," she signed in defeat, "He's mentally reciting fútbol scores en español. This could take a while," Miss Martian stated to the others.

"It's not complicated," Bane replied, "The enemy of my enemy is my friend," the other heroes looked around at each other trying to decide what to do. Red Robin looked at Robin first. The two exchanged begrudging looks, which told them they were on the same page. Red Robin then turned to Aqualad who gave a nod.

Red Robin pulled out a birdarang and cut the ropes that held Bane, but only Bane. Bane then led the team through the think jungle, staying in front at all times so that the team could keep eyes on him constantly.

The heroes as they followed Bane for what seemed like hours, were mostly in a constant state of awkward silence. Red Robin stayed up front near Aqualad, the two constantly keeping eyes on Bane who was a little further ahead of them. Miss Martian and Superboy brought up the rear, neither one of them seemed like talking to the other. Miss Martian stole a few glances in Superboy's direction, but the clone didn't seem to care. His eyes were also locked on Bane as well. Robin walked to the right of Kid Flash, but neither seemed to want to strike up conversation with the other unless it was to continue their earlier debate of leader.

"The factory is that way," Bane spoke, breaking the ice, as he then raised a finger in the factory's direction. The team followed him to an edge of a cliff. Red Robin, Robin and Kid Flash went up to the cliff to get a better look at the factory. Kid Flash lowered his goggles while the Boy Wonders each pulled out binoculars to get a closer look.

"Buy is going down," Red Robin stated, surveying the area of the factory he could see.

"Yeah, look at all that product," Robin stated as well, "But if Kobra's not selling to the usual suspects, then–," Robin stopped as he got interrupted by Aqualad.

"We need to identify that buyer," Aqualad spoke, giving the team's next objective.

"Just what I was thinking," Kid Flash spoke, speaking his mind.

Red Robin just rolled his eyes, but his partner spoke what was on his mind anyway.

"Yeah, you're the thinker," Robin spoke sarcastically.

"Sarcasm? Dude a real leader would focus on getting answers," Kid Flash shot at the Boy Wonder. Red Robin narrowed his eyes at the speedster, but kept his mouth shut. Now was not the time to provoke things. Red Robin found himself leaning more towards Aqualad as the mission went on. Aqualad always seemed to have his head in the game and on a swivel. Even during the Mister Twister event, Red Robin saw how Aqualad kept the team together. That's when Red Robin realized who should really be leading this team.

A loud groan brought Red Robin out of his thoughts. Looking in that direction, Red Robin saw Bane hoisting a massive boulder out of the way, revealing the secret entrance that he spoke of earlier, "Answers are this way," Bane spoke with a smirk on his face.

"So now _el luchador_ is our leader," spoke Kid Flash as he, Robin, Red Robin and Aqualad made their way over to the tunnel.

Robin walked past Kid Flash, swatting his arm out of the way, only for Red Robin to bump into his shoulder on the other side, "Dude, The Spanglish speaking villain makes a better leader than you. Give it a rest," he mumbled as he walked past the speedster.

Bane led the group of teen heroes down the tunnel, followed closely behind by Robin, Kid Flash and Superboy. Behind them was Aqualad and Miss Martian and sandwiched between them was Red Robin. Miss Martian looked at Red Robin, "So how long have you been with Robin? You two seem to act in sync," she asked the teen gadgeteer.

"Two years, though it's more like closer to one. There was a lot of inhouse training before I went on a routine mission with the famed dynamic duo," he told the curious Miss Martian, "Robin and I worked at getting in sync a lot in our spare time, which in turn made Batman's life easier in teaching me the ropes."

Miss Martian was about to ask another question, but was interrupted by the villain who looked like a professional wrestler, "We're here" he stated as he pressed his thumb against a scanner. The lock on the door in front of the team blinked red a few times before switching to a solid green allowing the doors to slide apart giving access inside the factory to the team. The door swung open slightly, but enough for the Boy Wonder to stick his head out and look for guards. Not seeing any, he whispered, "All clear," and quickly exited, followed closely by Red Robin.

Seeing a faint light coming from an upper floor room, Red Robin pulled out his grapple line and fired up at the catwalk above him. As he pulled himself up, he shifted his body weight to the left so that he flipped up and over the railing and landed on the floor of the catwalk and stealthily made his way over to the dimly lit room. Inside was one goon at a computer, so Red Robin slowly opened the door and threw a batarang into the room that sunk itself into the control panel the goon was at and filled the area with knockout gas. Once the room was clear of the gas, Red Robin entered and made his way over to the goon.

"Asleep on the job," Red Robin sighed disgracefully at the goon before pulling the cultist out of the chair and dropping him on the floor.

"That was underwhelming," Robin said as he appeared out of nowhere and took a seat at the controls, before Red Robin could sit down.

Robin pulled out his USB cable and proceeded to hack into the computer that was at the control panel. A bunch of formulas appeared on the screen and Red Robin, pulling up another chair and sitting to the right of his partner, began to try and make sense of what he was seeing.

A skid was heard behind them, "Whatcha got?" KF asked, announcing his presence as he snacked on a candy bar.

"Chemical formulas," Robin answered, "I'm guessing it involves venom, but…" he spoke, pulling chemical formulas up side by side on the computer.

"That one's venom," Kid Flash stated, pointing at the red molecular structure that was on screen.

Red Robin's eye caught onto the other one though. A purple and bluish colored molecular structure that he recognized from the batcomputer when Batman looked at it after the Cadmus incident in DC a couple weeks ago, "That's the Blockbuster formula from Cadmus," he pointed out to the others.

"Whoa, mixed correctly, Kobra's new juice is three times stronger than venom…" Kid Flash stated, as the two molecular structures merged on the computer and new data that supported what Kid Flash was saying appeared on the screen, "and permanent" he added on at the end.

"This just raises more questions," Red Robin chimed in, hand on his chin as he was running the clues through his head, "how did Kobra get access to Project Blockbuster?" he asked.

"Our mystery buyer must also be Kobra's supplier!" Robin exclaimed, "Using the cult to create a Blockbuster-Venom super formula!" he explained. After he was done explaining, he put a hand up to his ear to try and get Aqualad, "Robin to Aqualad, we got—static,"

"Deal must be…" but Red Robin didn't get to finish. Gunfire was heard from outside the room and then a window shattered from a top the building, revealing a large and obviously enhanced behemoth of a creature appear and land down on the ground floor, "Guess they know we're here," Red Robin shrugged to his two teammates.

Kid Flash took off, leaving the two Batman protégés alone in the room. The two shared a look and they both knew that getting to Kobra and the chopper was a main priority, so they instantly set to work.

As Robin left, two goons stopped by the window and opened fire on the Boy Wonder as he dodged the gunfire and made his way out of the hangar. Red Robin acted fast and used his chair to flip and propel himself feet first through the window, shattering the glass. His feet made contact with one goon, who in turn, collided with his friend, knocking both to the ground.

Red Robin looked for his partner, but couldn't find him. Knowing the plan the two wanted to accomplish, he made his way over to the broken window from the catwalk, seeing Aqualad and Superboy engaged in combat below him.

" _Everyone online?"_ spoke Miss Martian in his head. Once at the window, he pulled out his grapple gun and used it to launch him towards and out the broken window. Landing outside, in a roll, Red Robin stood and made his way around the building to the front where Kobra and his lackies were.

" _Yeah,"_ grumbled Superboy.

" _You know it beautiful,"_ Kid Flash responded.

Red Robin noticed his partner sneak aboard the helicopter and inwardly sighed, knowing he was now the distraction for Kobra and his bodyguard, while Robin went to work sabotaging the helicopter.

" _We need to regroup,"_ came the stern voice of Aqualad in Red Robin's mind.

" _Little busy,"_ Red Robin replied, getting ready to make what he thought was a mistake. Red Robin threw a birdarang at Kobra who easily dodged it and turned towards the teen hero, "Batman must be desperate if he sends his whelps to task me," he said to the teen boy as he turned to face him.

"You didn't make Batman's priority list," Red Robin shot back to the cult leader. Not seeing his face change, Red Robin continued, "What's wrong Koby? You look disconcerted," he finished taunting, getting into his fighting stance.

"This is beneath me. Shimmer, take him," Kobra ordered. Shimmer took off in Red Robin's direction pulling out a blade for each hand as she charged.

"Funny that's what Batman said about you Koby to me," Red Robin taunted, before charging at Shimmer himself. Shimmer stopped, preparing to strike down on the rushing hero, but Red Robin as he continued to get closer to Shimmer, hit the dirt and slid right underneath Shimmer's legs. Shimmer's first blade missed high, but as Red Robin slid under her legs, she brought the other blade down and managed to nick his face. Red Robin stood up facing Shimmer with Kobra behind him. He felt the scratch on his cheek, but paid no attention to it. Shimmer however had a smirk on her face.

" _Robin, Red Robin now!"_ Aqualad demanded at the Bat siekicks.

" _Fine, fine,"_ Robin replied. He then dropped down from atop the chopper right next to Red Robin and the two dropped flashbangs where they once stood and made their escape, leaving nothing but smoke where they once stood.

" _Strategic retreat. Kid clear a path,"_ Aqualad ordered telepathically to the team.

Robin and Red Robin made their way back into the factory and joined the others as they followed the path of unconscious goons that Kid Flash had left for them. They made their way back to the doors that they had entered from only for Superboy to get locked into a fight with the behemoth that was juiced on Kobra-Venom.

As the team ran in, Red Robin stopped and looked back at Superboy who was still locked in a grapple with the juiced creature. Red Robin took out three exploding discs and threw them at the creature. Each disc embedded itself in the creature's thick skin and exploded simultaneously, causing the creature to stumble just enough for Superboy to gain the upper hand. Superboy then threw the behemoth, which collided with some incoming goons, knocking them to the ground. Superboy and Red Robin then quickly went through the door. Once the two made it inside, Superboy locked the door and he and Red Robin took off to join the others.

As they ran, Red Robin looked behind only to see the massive creature bust through the door with its shoulder, allowing cultists to come in and fire at the retreating teen heroes.

"Superboy, Red Robin, the support beams!" Aqualad yelled back to the heroes bringing up the rear. Superboy punched through one, while Red Robin as he ran turned back to to face the beam and through a birdarang at it. It beeped for a few seconds then exploded, causing the already destabilizing earth to fully cave in, leaving a mound of earth between the heroes and the cultists separating the two.

As Red Robin caught his breath, a small crack sounded through their side of the cave. Red Robin looked up to see Aqualad lighting a glow stick that gave off a dim red light through the cave.

Red Robin sat on the ground and rested his back against the wall, next to Kid Flash, who was sitting on a rock that was protruding outwards from the wall. Superboy stood next to Kid Flash and on the other side of the tunnel was Aqualad and Miss Martian. Red Robin finally looked at his partner, who stood looking at the pile of earth that separated them from Kobra.

"How could my first mission as leader go so wrong?" asked Robin to no one in particular.

"You do have the most experience, but perhaps that is exactly what has left you unprepared. Fighting along side Batman and Red Robin, your roles are defined. The three of you do not need to talk, but this team is new and a leader must be clear, explicit. He cannot vanish and expect others to play parts in an unknown plan," Aqualad spoke calmly trying to help Robin understand.

"Oh, so I'm suppose to hold everyone's hands!" Robin quipped, turning around to face the Atlantean.

"Rob, he's right," Red Robin spoke, trying to cool off his partner, "I may know your plans, but that's only because we work together outside of the team too with Batman. When it comes down to it, this team needs someone to tell them clear directions on what to do, and not try and pick up on what you and I can do on the fly,"

Robin groaned, knowing they were right, "You should lead us Kaldur. You're the only one who can," Robin suggested with a small smile on his face.

"Please!" Kid Flash erupted, earning a scowl from Red Robin, "I can run circles–"

"Dude give it a rest," Red Robin interrupted, "you'd leave us all behind too. Kaldur is the only one who can lead us out of this, unless you want to ask _el luchador_ to be our leader," Red Robin suggested to the stealth teched speedster, "My vote is for Kaldur."

"We all know he's the one," Robin added.

"Hello Meagan, it's so obvious," Miss Martian shouted, giving her vote to have Kaldur as the leader.

"Could have told ya," Superboy spoke, voicing his vote as well.

Everyone looked towards the speedster, waiting for his decision, "Ok," he spoke, making it unanimous for Kaldur.

Kaldur then made his way over to Robin, "Then I accept the burden, until you are ready to lift it from my shoulders. You were born to lead this team. Maybe not now, but soon," Kaldur spoke as he placed his hand on Robin's shoulder.

"Alright," Kaldur spoke in his authority tone, as he spun around to face everyone, "our first priority is to prevent that shipment from getting off this island," he stated.

"Funny. I had the same thought," Robin said jokingly, but it was also true.

"Yeah, we kinda already started a plan for that," Red Robin added, scratching the back of his head.

"I sabotaged the helicopter," Robin said with pride.

"While I was the bait," Red Robin quickly added, pointing to the scratch on his face.

"You should have flipped over her instead of sliding under," Robin chastised his partner.

"Wait… You were just watching?" he asked in disbelief.

"You handled it," Robin stated, "more or less," he added with a smirk, pointing to his own cheek on his face, but it was the cheek on Red Robin's face that carried the mark of Shimmer's blade.

The team stood there for a little, exchanging the information they had collected before taking off down the tunnel to begin to try and right what they had did wrong the first time.

As they ran down the tunnel, the group went over their facts, "Sportsmaster is the supplier slash buyer, but it still doesn't track," Robin stated running alongside Aqualad.

Red Robin also flanked Aqualad from the other side, "He doesn't have the juice to acquire the Blockbuster formula," he added.

"Or to get Kobra to do his dirty work," Robin also chimed in, picking up where his partner left off.

"And neither of them have the chops to bond Blockbuster with Venom. That took some major nerdage," Kid Flash thru in too, as he sped up alongside the trio.

"I believe the expression is 'tip of the iceberg'" Aqualad added as the team made it out of the tunnel.

Bane appeared at the end of the tunnel, dropping an empty vile on the ground, he spoke, "Halt niños," he said. Red Robin looked down and saw more empty ones just like it with the familiar color of Venom.

"I'm feeling explosive," he added slyly, a trigger in his hand. That's when Red Robin heard it. A beeping noise that came from above them. Looking up, Red Robin noticed Bane had laid explosives around the end of the tunnel.

"You betrayed us? Why?" asked Aqualad, looking the villain dead in the eyes.

"I want my factory back," Bane spoke.

" _Kid, you'll need a running start,"_ he spoke through the telepathic link that Miss Martian still had running. Kid Flash started to back slowly away.

"So I forced you into a situation where you would either take down my enemies, or die trying," Bane monologed, "If the latter, the Justice League would certainly have come to avenge their sidekicks, And when the smoke cleared, Santa Prisca would be mine once more. Blowing the tunnel with you inside should have the same effect," the villain finished.

"Not the worst plan I've heard," Red Robin answered. Bane raised his hand that he had the trigger in, but when he went to push the button, nothing happened. He looked down and was surprised when he didn't have the trigger anymore.

"With what? This trigger thingy?" Kid Flash asked leaning up against a tree behind the villain with the trigger device that Bane held a second ago.

Bane screamed and went to punch Kid Flash but he was suddently hoisted up and floating in midair by Miss Martian.

Superboy then walked forward getting in his stance, "Finally," he said with delight, "Drop him."

Miss Martian let go of Bane and he fell right into Superboy's fist, knocking him out cold.

"Well that was fun," Red Robin said, as he and the others gathered around Aqualad, "they are probably close to fixing that helicopter though," he warned.

"We need a plan," Aqualad stated.

"You mean distraction," Robin corrected.

"Well… we could use those bombs and put them in the helicopter, since we have the trigger now," Red Robin stated, gesturing towards the trigger in Kid Flash's hand.

"Miss Martian could sneak them on with her camouflage mode, while the rest of us are the distraction," Robin offered.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Kid Flash stated, handing the trigger to Miss Martian.

"Can you two disconnect those bombs?" Aqualad asked the dynamic sidekicks.

"You got it boss," Red Robin replied, as he and Robin set to work on disconnecting the bombs from the tunnel.

Within a few minutes they were ready and headed off towards the factory. The team hunkered down in the bushes near the clearing where the helicopter sat.

"Well there's Sportsmaster with the goods," Red Robin stated, using his binoculars.

"And Koby," Robin added, seeing the pale skinned cult leader.

Just then the helicopter roared to life, "Kid that's your cue," Aqualad said and Kid Flash took off, knocking out several goons, surprising the villains, but they quickly returned fire on the speedster.

"Take the shipment!" Kobra yelled at Sportsmaster who began to make his way towards the helicopter.

Superboy then landed between the chopper and some goons. The shockwave that Superboy sent out cracked the ground and sent the goons in his vicinity flying, "Go again?" he asked the Blockbuster-Venom enhanced creature.

The monstrosity charged at Superboy, but at the last second a jet of continuous water crashed into the monsterous creature shooting him across the field, "Sorry. Not the plan" Superboy taunted, smirk present as he did so. Just then Sportsmaster reappeared and continued to rapid fire at Superboy with a gun that had enough force to actually damage the clone, while Miss Martian set to work on completing the main objective.

Kobra watched with Shimmer by his side, as Kid Flash took out a cultist and grabbed his black mask, "Souvenir," Kid Flash said before taking off again.

As Kid Flash sped off, Red Robin threw a bolo that wrapped itself around Shimmer, throwing her off balance and knocking her to the ground. Just then Red Robin and Robin appeared in front of Kobra.

"I know you hate getting your hands dirty," Robin stated, taunting the cult leader.

"True," Kobra replied, dropping his cloak to the ground, revealing is bald head and muscular, gray skinned body. Losing his cloak, it also showed he wore red bracers and red boots of the same design, while his legs were covered with tight, black pants, "But sometime, even a god must stoop to conquer."

Robin and Red Robin charged at the gray skinned villain. Kobra, stepping back a step, easily avoided Robin who went with a sweeping leg low, while Red Robin went high for a kick to Kobra's face. Kobra however caught Red Robin's leg and then with a kick of his own, sent Red Robin flying back. Robin then went for his own kick, only to get Kobra's fist in the gut, which sent him backward as well.

"What's wrong boys?" Kobra asked, standing with his hands behind his back, "You two look disconcerted," he taunted.

Just then the helicopter took off, but as it rose in the air, an explosion rocked the chopper, sending smoke and sparks billowing out the back of it. The chopper then began to descend back towards the factory. Sportsmaster bailed out and parachuted over the jungle as the chopper fell through the air and finally landed on the factory itself and exploded, also destroying the factory.

Using the distraction of the fiery explosion, Kobra made his move on the two Bat protégés, swiftly delivering blows to each of them, knocking them to the ground. Red Robin quickly got back up and pulled out two birdarangs, one in each hand, but hesitated to throw them. Standing over his partner with his boot on Robin's chest was Kobra, "I am plagued by mosquitos!" Kobra growled, annoyed.

"Good," grunted Robin, from underneath Kobra's foot, "Cause this mosquito's mighty concerted over your pain," he finished, flipping out from under Kobra's foot, and landing next to Red Robin. The two were then backed up by an approaching Aqualad, Superboy, Kid Flash and Miss Martian.

With the burning factory in the background, Kobra looked at the group of heroes and realized he was outnumbered, "Another time then," he said before backing into the bushes of the jungle.

Robin and Red Robin raced forward, but when they pulled back the jungle bushes, Kobra was already gone, "So that's how that feels?" Red Robin said slightly frustrated, but getting why Commissioner Gordon was always frustrated when they pulled the disappearing act on him.

"We picked the right guy to lead," Robin said with a smile on his face, as he and Red Robin returned to group with the others, "Automatically making you," he pointed at Aqualad, "the right guy to explain this mess to Batman," he laughed gesturing at the burning factory. Red Robin also couldn't help but laugh at the situation either.

 **MOUNT JUSTICE**

 **JULY 23, 10:01 EDT**

"A simple recon mission, observe and report," Batman lectured, getting in the face of Aqualad, but the teen stood firm. The rest of the team also stood at attention as Batman continued to lecture, "You'll each receive a written evaluation detailing your many mistakes," he continued to berate them, walking down the line of sidekicks, "Until then, good job."

Red Robin along with the rest of the team, including Robin instantly looked at Batman with shocked expressions, not expecting the compliment from Batman, "No battle plan survives first contact with the enemy. How you adjust to the unforeseen is what determines success. And how you choose who leads determines character," Batman continued his lecture. Red Robin looked at his partner who stood beside with a smirk now on his face, to which Red Robin just rolled his eyes.

 **GOTHAM CITY**

 **JULY 23, 16:30**

"What happened to your face?!" exclaimed Barbara, just noticing the long cut on an approaching teen's face, who attempted to take a seat at the outside table at the café, but was intercepted by the redhead, who lightly grabbed his chin and turned his head so she could get a better look.

"It's nothing Babs," Nathan quickly protested, trying to move on from the subject. He could stand his own against most villains in Gotham, but when it came to making up stories for on the job injuries, he was terrible at it. He hated this part of the job more than getting the injuries.

"Nothing? That's not nothing," Barbara said, looking at the cut with worry on her face, "What happened?" she asked sternly but also with concern.

Nathan saw the Barbara Gordon version of the bat glare mixed with legitimate concern and worry, "Let's just say I should stay away from taking alleys for shortcuts," Nathan explained, lightly grabbing Barbara's hand that was on his chin and moving it down to her side, "A mugger jumped me last night and got a lucky shot in with a knife before the Boy Wonders showed up. The mugger got scared and took off. I went to thank my saviors, but they were gone already when I turned to thank them," Nathan continued to explain his story.

"Yeah, they do that a lot," Barbara mumbled, "Dad finishes all his stories about them the same way," Barbara spoke, giving examples to Nathan as they both took their seats, "Where's Dick?" asked Barbara curiously.

"Late like usual. Did you expect him to be on time?" Nathan asked jokingly.

Just then Dick ran over to the table, "Sorry I'm late," he said as he took an open seat between Nathan and Barbara. He then looked at Nathan, "Whoa dude, what happened to your face?" he asked, giving him a look as he spoke.

"If you showed up on time, you could have heard me explain it to Barbara," he added, giving his friend a smirk as he did, "It's a long story, but I guess I could tell it again….."

 **Hey guys, sorry for the abrupt end here. Honestly I was toying with the idea of having Nathan and Barbara's first romantic (kiss, or at least Barbara kissing Nathan's cheek) encounter at the end here, but thought that it might be too soon yet. If you guys think it was a bad call, I just want to explain again that these types of scenes are not my greatest and again if any of you would like to help with their first romantic encounter PM me and I'll explain what I was going to do here at the end of the chapter too. If you guys have your own ideas too please PM and we can talk about it and we can try to work it into the story. If I get multiple options, obviously I'll have to chose one or I can post a pole as to what you'd guys would like to see or something.**

 **Anyway, I'll shut up now and let you guys get back to real life. Until next chapter...**


	6. Schooled

**Hey guys and gals. Here is the next chapter. Not sure what I'm gonna do for the next chapter. Was thinking about doing an episode from The Batman since Robin isn't really involved in the next episode of Young Justice. If you guys got an episode from The Batman you wanna see that fits for the next chapter let me know.**

 **Enjoy this chapter folks...**

 **YOUNG JUSTICE**

 **SCHOOLED**

 **MOUNT JUSTICE**

 **AUGUST 3, 13:00 EDT**

Red Robin stood by his partner as Kid Flash and Aqualad went toe to toe in front of them in virtual air hockey. Across the other side of the virtual air hockey table, stood Miss Martian who intently watched the game. Red Robin was invested in the game as something told him to bet on Kid Flash against Robin who gladly took Aqualad, signaling he was confident that the next weeks washes of the batmobile where clearly Red Robin's. Red Robin though was slightly distracted watching his phone for texts from Barbara.

"How you gonna woo Barbara when you're stuck washing the Batmobile for a week?" Robin asked in a whisper, leaning towards Red Robin, who was stealing peeks at his phone when he could.

Red Robin just glared at Robin in response.

"Jeez ok Batman relax," Robin joked, seeing the glare from his partner.

Barbara and Nathan had to started to grow closer over the past couple days. It all started the night before the mission to Santa Prisca. Nathan had got invited to dinner and at first it was awkward between him and Barbara because he wasn't sure what to do after what happened at the precinct, but Nathan thanked God for the Commish who was ice breaker for the two teenagers. Nathan then got invited to dinner with the Commissioner and Barbara a couple nights in a row, which put him at ends sometimes with Robin on patrol duties. Robin at first was kinda upset, but it didn't last long as when they did patrol together, he would always make fun of Nathan with Barbara. Nathan was glad they were getting closer but maybe it was too fast? Anytime he thought like that he pushed the idea aside and buried himself into training and nightly patrol. Those thoughts were for normal kids with normal lives, not sidekicks to the famous Batman, who demanded and only accepted 100% every night, which led to sometimes extra training for Red Robin because Batman would catch him with his head not in the moment.

Nathan was brought from his thoughts when the buzzer went on the game signaling Kid Flash had tied the score. Robin started to lean closer to the board as did Miss Martian and Red Robin finally put his phone away and started to get interested as the next score declared the victor.

They all watched intently as the virtual puck went back and forth between the two heroes. Robin and Red Robin shot jabs at each other as the game went on. Eventually the buzzer sounded with Kid Flash scoring the final goal.

"Ha!" exclaimed Red Robin pointing a finger at Robin, "Have fun washing the bat-," but he didn't get to finish as the computer voice echoed through The Cave.

 **[Recognized. Superboy, B 0-5]** announced the computer as Superboy arrived at the cave. Red Robin noticed the sour look right away, but Miss Martian to have neglected it, if she saw it at all.

"Hi Superboy, how was Metropolis?" she asked, as Superboy just walked right through the virtual air hockey table.

Someone from the other end of the room, cleared their throat, getting the team's attention, "Ready for training everyone?" Black Canary asked, but she wasn't alone. Alongside Black Canary was Martian Manhunter.

"Black Canary! Uncle J'onn!" Miss Martian exclaimed, running over to her uncle and embracing him.

"M'gann," Martian Manhunter greeted his niece, "I was in the neighborhood, so I thought I'd see how you were adjusting."

"A few bumps, but I'm learning," Miss Martian smiled up at her uncle.

"That's all I can ask," Martian Manhunter replied happy his niece was adjusting well.

Red Robin looked over at the Superman clone, who was hanging off to the side by himself. Red Robin kinda got the feeling that the two Martians bonding got under Superboy because of his issues with Superman keeping him at arms length. Superboy was about to turn and leave when Black Canary called out to the clone, "Stick around. Class is in session."

Black Canary made her way to the center of the platform and it lit up once she did so, "I consider it an honor to be your teacher. I'll throw a lot at you – everything I've learned from my own mentors," she spoke as she took off her jacket, but winced as she did so, "and my own bruises," she finished with a smile.

"What happened?" asked a saddened M'gann.

"The job," came Canary's short reply, "Now, combat is about controlling conflict, putting the battle on your terms. You should always be acting, never reacting. I'll need a sparring partner."

"Right here. Yeah!" Kid Flash stepped forward, shooting his hand in the air. Aqualad and Red Robin had shocked expressions, while Robin wore a smirk as Kid Flash stepped onto the platform.

"After this," the speedster started taking a bite out of his banana and then throwing the peel into a garbage can nearby, "Swish," spoke Kid Flash as the banana peel landed in the can, "I'll show you my moves," pointing a finger like a gun at Black Canary, who seemed amused at Kid Flash's attempts at her, while Red Robin just faced palmed.

Black Canary's face quickly changed and she threw a punch at Kid Flash who blocked it but Canary then proceeded to successfully do a leg sweep, putting Kid Flash on his back. Red Robin watched probably the quickest, pun intended, fight in history. Red Robin then noticed that the platform when lit up showed a blue circle that illuminated where Kid Flash hit the ground and showed as well in a box 'Kid Flash Status: FAIL, which Red Robin smiled at.

"Ohh. Hurts so good" Kid Flash moaned in pain.

"Good block," Canary complimented, "but did anyone see what he did wrong?" she asked.

"Ooh, ooh," Robin bursted out, raising his hand as he did so, "he hit on teacher and got served?"

"Dude!" Kid Flash groaned holding his elbow.

"He allowed me to dictate the terms of," but she couldn't finish what she was going to see because she was interrupted.

"Oh, please," Superboy groaned, getting an eyebrow raise and the attention of Black Canary, "With my powers, the battle's always on my terms. I'm a living weapon, and this is a waste of my time," he growled at Black Canary.

"Prove it," was all she said. Red Robin quickly looked at Superboy seeing what the clone would do.

Superboy stepped into the middle of the platform and starred down Black Canary who was unphased by the clone. Superboy threw a punch, which Black Canary easily sidestepped and after doing so, grabbed Superboy's arm and flipped him as he landed on his back. Again, a blue circle appeared where he landed and a status box appeared indicating Supboy's status as FAIL.

Robin pointed and laughed at Superboy till he was elbowed in the ribs by Kaldur. Robin didn't stop laughing but at least covered his mouth. Red Robin just glared, not at his partner but at the clone, "Serves him right" he mumbled under his breath.

Superboy got up and growled at Black Canary, "Good," Canary spoke, still trying to teach the clone as she fought him, "You're angry, but don't react. Channel that anger into–,"she couldn't finish what she was about to say as Superboy yelled and threw his fist at Canary, who then flipped over Superboy dodging his punch and then dropped down low and swept his legs from under him, dropping him on his back again.

Robin continued to chuckle as Red Robin shook his head, but had a smirk on his face.

"That's it, I'm done" Superboy growled, swiping Black Canary's hand away that she offered to help him up.

"Training is mandatory," Black Canary spoke, putting a hand on his shoulder. Superboy shrugged it off and starred at Black Canary, who still was unphased and glared right back.

Before Superboy could retort, a beeping was heard through the cave signaling an incoming transmission and a holographic screen appeared with Batman.

"Batman to the cave. Five hours ago, a new menace attacked Green Arrow and Black Canary," Batman briefed the team. As he did so, a satellite feed appeared on the screen of the League fighting this robot, "The attacker was capable of studying, then duplicating the powers and abilities of its opponents. Arrow called in reinforcements, which nearly proved disastrous as our foe gained more and more powerful with each new combatant."

"Whoa. One guy with the powers of the entire League?" Kid Flash asked bewildered.

"In the end, it took eight Leaguers four hours to defeat and dismantle the android," Batman continued.

"Wait an android?" asked Red Robin

"Has to be T.O. Morrow" Robin guessed.

"Good guess, Robin, but Red Tornado doesn't think so," Batman explained.

"The technology bears the signature of Professor Ivo," Martian Manhunter explained.

"Ivo?" questioned Aqualad, "But Ivo's dead"

"So we all thought… or hoped" Black Canary spoke.

"To make certain this threat is permanently neutralized, we're sending two trucks carrying the android's parts to two separate S.T.A.R. Lab facilities in Boston and New York for immediate evaluation. Every precaution is being taken. We'll have four additional decoy trucks to create confusion in case Ivo or anyone tries to recover the remains. You will split into undercover teams to safeguard the two real trucks," Batman spoke, briefing the team on the plan.

"Yes!" exclaimed Kid Flash, "Road trip!" he cried out fist bumping Red Robin, who also had a smile on his face.

"So now we take out your trash," Superboy asked, glaring at Batman.

"You had something better to do?" Batman quipped at the clone, not missing a beat.

Superboy just looked down at the ground in defeat but still wore a scowl on his face.

"Coordinates received. On our way," Aqualad spoke, kicking everyone into gear. Stops were made to rooms in the cave to put on civilian clothes to blend in on the road. Red Robin however put his uniform on first and then his civilian clothes over top. To be honest, he felt more at home when wearing his uniform then when he was wearing civilian clothes.

 **LITCHFIELD COUNTY**

 **AUGUST 3, 20:08 EDT**

Red Robin sat on his bike int the bushes and trees away from The League, who were out in the open with STAR Labs employees, loading the two real trucks with the android, even though there were six trucks there. While the loadout was happening, Red Robin caught Superman squinting in their direction, but he shrugged it off, figuring the Kryptonian was actually looking at Superboy.

Red Robin learned that the team was going to be split into two groups of three. One group would consist of Aqualad, Miss Martian and Kid Flash, while the other group would be himself, Robin and Superboy.

Batman gave the signal with his arm to the trucks to move out. Once all six trucks took off, also splitting into two groups of three the team shot out of the bushes to follow their assigned trucks to their destination.

Red Robin followed their truck between Superboy and Robin. The three of them road in silence for a while before Robin broke the ice, "If dislike is the opposite of like, is disaster the opposite of aster? See instead of things going wrong, they go right."

"Dude, your play on words is unmatched, but clearly Superboy here isn't feeling the aster," Red Robin replied, a small smile on his face, as his partner continued to murder the English language.

"Uh, what's wrong?" Robin asked Superboy.

"Canary," Superboy grumbled, "I mean what business does she have teaching combat skills to a guy with super strength?" Superboy asked angrily.

"Taking down stronger guys is part of the gig. Canary learned that the hard way," Robin replied.

"Yeah, same with Batman, Robin and me, though I am still learning so don't take my word for everything, but this is where my word is good," Red Robin replied.

Superboy didn't seem to really like where the conversation was heading so he revved his engine and popped a wheelie speeding up to his truck.

"Clearly he _dis_ likes Canary, heavy on the dis part" Red Robin answered, speeding up some, along with Robin.

Red Robin continued to follow the truck, but suddenly some kind of quick moving silver flashes quickly moved passed him and attached themselves to their truck. Once they attached to the truck, Red Robin could make out that they were… robotic monkeys?

" _Robin, Superboy, Red Robin, our truck is under attack!"_ Aqualad's voice rang through the com system.

"Kinda figured" Robin shot back

"I hate monkeys" Red Robin heard Superboy grumble.

Suddenly the truck started swerving, as the monkeys began their attack at the front of the bus, trying to break through the glass to the driver.

"Robot monkeys! Totally Ivo's tweaked style," Robin spoke as he activated his bike into battle mode, "Hey Ace, switch your ride to battle mode," he told Superboy. Robin already he knew his partner hated battle mode, because he hated the unicycle part of it.

"No point," Superboy said, before jumping off his bike and landing on the truck. Superboy's bike, with no driver, then started to flip it's way down the road towards Red Robin and Robin's bikes.

"Or not," Robin yelled leaping from his bike. Red Robin quickly launched himself straight up into the air just as Superboy's bike crashed into Robin and his bikes. Red Robin then fired his grapple gun at the truck, which pulled him onto the top of the truck beside Superboy, who was already going to town on the monkeys. Red Robin threw two birdarangs, which embedded into the monkeys and caused two to explode. He then turned and kicked another off the truck. Superboy used his helmet to bash two that attacked him and then caught a third and ripped it apart before being swarmed by the monkeys.

One of the torn apart ones in Superboy's hand turned its head around and shot him in the eyes with the lasers that came out of the monkey's own eyes. More then swarmed Superboy and carried him off. Red Robin made his way over to the front of the truck. Using two batarangs, Red Robin made his way up to the front of the truck on the driver's side. Stabbing as many monkeys as he could along the way.

Just then Red Robin heard the tires blow in the back, left rear of the truck and the truck started to swerve uncontrollably. Red Robin made his way beside the driver door. He heard Robin yell, "Get out!" Just then the door opened and Red Robin grabbed a hold of the driver and the two dove into the cornfield that lined the road. Robin also dove in as well.

Seconds later the truck that still had monkeys on it, started to flip down the road, sparks flying in every direction. The truck landed on its roof several feet down the road. Just then the back end of the truck exploded and the box of android parts, were being carried out and into the sky by the monkeys, as the robotic creatures fled the scene.

Red Robin jerked his head back to the truck when the truck flipped over again to see Superboy, looking slightly worn down, but a lot more mad then he was worn down. Superboy growled and then leaped into the air and took off after the fleeing robot monkeys.

"Superboy!" yelled Robin, but Superboy kept going.

" _Aqualad to Robin. We've lost our cargo. Did you–,"_ Aqualad's voice rang over the comms.

"It's gone. And so is my partner," Robin replied back.

" _Aqualad to Superboy. Radio you position, we'll help you–,"_ Aqualad spoke again into the comms but again he was interrupted.

" _I don't need help, don't want any!"_ Superboy yelled back in anger and frustration.

" _Superboy?"_ Aqualad tried to radio again.

Red Robin, put his hand up to his ear, "Believe he ditched his comm," he informed Aqualad.

" _Super,"_ Kid Flash cried out sarcastically, _"Now we can't even track him."_

Red Robin knelt down to the ground, as did Robin. Red Robin heard the team talking in his ear. Just then the two Bat protégés looked at each other, both getting the same idea, "Maybe we do," Robin said to his partner and over the comm, pulling out his USB from his glove, Robin began to hack at the monkey.

"We would have heard by now if the decoy trucks have been attacked," Robin stated.

"Yeah, so how did these monkeys know which trucks to hit and which to leave alone?" Red Robin asked, as he waited for the decoding of the monkey to finish.

"Ha!" shouted Robin, "The parts have GPS," Robin informed the group, "The monkeys can track the signal, which means I can track them with the one I captured. Looks like both sets of parts are converging on….." Robin said, waiting to see their course, though Red Robin beat him to the punch.

"Gotham City?" Red Robin rhetorically asked, feeling sadness about the parts converging on his home town.

" _That far south? M'gann and I won't get there anytime soon. I'm sending Kid on ahead to meet you. Aqualad out,"_ the leader finished.

Robin put the monkey over his shoulder and summoned his bike over to him. Red Robin went over and propped his bike up and the two got ready to head out towards Gotham.

"Definitely a disaster, heavy on the dis," Robin sighed.

Before both sidekicks started their trek to Gotham, they each zipped off their jackets and civilian clothes revealing their uniforms, "That feels a lot better," Red Robin commented, stretching his neck and back. He then hopped onto his bike and he and Robin took off towards Gotham.

 **GOTHAM CITY**

 **AUGUST 3, 21:21 EDT**

Robin and Red Robin tore through the streets on the outskirts of Gotham, trying to get there as fast as possible. On the way to the city, Kid Flash appeared inbetween the two bat protégés dressed in his normal outfit like them.

"So you changed, too?" Red Robin, asked seeing the speedster, who continued to run to stay in between their bikes.

"You kidding? Huhh. I feel naked in civvies," Kid Flash commented faking a chill.

"I know right?" Red Robin smirked.

"You still tracking those parts?" Kid Flash asked, turning his attention to Robin now.

"They were heading through Gotham, but they veered," Robin informed, looking down at his bike's GPS to look at where the parts where heading, "Wait. Dude!" Robin started, turning to look at Red Robin, "They're at our school" Robin.

"What?!" Red Robin gasped at the news.

The three heroes raced off towards Gotham Academy, which thankfully wasn't too far of a drive. Once there, Robin and Red Robin jumped off their bikes and made their way around back towards the gymnasium, where the parts were, while Kid Flash took the direct approach.

Upon entering the gym from the outside door, Robin and Red Robin witnessed Kid Flash speeding towards them with Superboy in his arms. Both Robin and Red Robin launched birdarangs at the android.

"Martian Manhunter," the android said and it went transparent, allowing the birdarangs to go right through it and explode at the back walls of the gym.

"Access Red Tornado," the android spoke next. The android then took to the air and charged at the four teens. The spinning tornado underneath the android sent the four teens flying. Red Robin's back landed up against the wall and then fell down on what he thought was the floor, but when he finally opened his eyes he realized he fell on Kid Flash's back. Red Robin then quickly rolled off and got back to his feet.

There in front of both him and Kid Flash was the android, "Access Captain Atom," the android spoke, raising a hand. Both teens knew what was coming and made for behind the bleachers of the gym, just before the explosion shook the ground. Kid Flash took off, grabbing the bat protégé as he did so and reappeared around the corner, dropping off Red Robin and then taking off towards the android.

Red Robin threw two more birdarangs at the android, "Access Black Canary," the android spoke and let out a Canary Cry. The cry stopped the birdarangs in their tracks causing them to explode. The explosion shot Kid Flash back into Red Robin, knocking both to the ground again.

Red Robin got back to his feet to see the android say, "Superman," and begin to squeeze Kid Flash who was trapped in the android's arms. Just then a whizzing flew past Red Robin's ears.

"Martian Manhunter," the android said, turning its head towards Red Robin and the whizzing. Just then Amazo went transparent again and an arrow flew through the android's head and penetrated the ground by Robin, who looked at the arrow. The arrow gave Kid Flash enough time to escape Amazo's clutches and get to safety though.

"Speedy?" Red Robin mumbled, but didn't have time to think on that train of thought.

Superboy then charged at Amazo again, "Access Black Canary," the android said, as it turned, grabbed Superboy by his arm and threw him into the bleachers, kicking up dust and debris.

Robin threw another birdarang, but Amazo dodged it, "Superman," the android said and went to shoot lasers at the original Boy Wonder, but Kid Flash got to him just in time to save him from the beams.

Red Robin pulled out his bo staff and charged at the android. Red Robin was able to rush in and swing at the android, but the android blocked most of his attacks and the ones that did land barely did anything.

"Black Canary," the android said and then the Canary Cry echoed through the gym again as the cry blasted Red Robin back.

Red Robin laid on the ground, vision hazy. He went to try and stand back up, but heard talking from the bleachers where Ivo sat, "Oh, yawn," the villainous professor yawned with his hand, "Normally, Amazo would study and mimic your abilities during battle, but what's the point? Your all such poor copies of the originals.

Red Robin stood back up, along with Robin and Kid Flash, "So everyone keeps saying," he heard Superboy mumble, "It makes me angry!" cried the clone, who then jumped across the gym and over the android and went after Ivo, who dodged at the last second and started to run down the bleachers to get away.

"You wanna see me channel that anger!" yelled the clone.

"Great. He's gone ballistic again," Kid Flash said, watching the clone.

"Maybe not," both Batman sidekicks spoke, with smirks on their faces.

"Amazo, protect your master. Priority Alpha," Ivo said, still retreating from the clone.

"Captain Atom," Amazo spoke, blasting the clone into the bleachers.

Two robotic monkeys were pulling Ivo back to his feet, not noticing Robin sneak up from behind, "Anyone want to play keep-away?" he asked, giving a spinning kick to Ivo.

Ivo then flew towards Red Robin, who then jumped into the air and kicked him across the gym floor again, "Been a while, but sure I'm in" he said after spin kicking Ivo towards the yellow speedster.

"Me, Me" Kid Flash yelled, running towards Ivo.

"Access Superman," Amazo said, slamming his foot into the ground, creating a shock wave that when it hit the yellow speedster, it sent him flying into the bleachers.

"Martian Manhunter," Amazo said, turning intangible, to avoid another round of exploding discs from Robin and Red Robin.

"I hate it when he does that," Red Robin mumbled under his breath.

Superboy landed in front of the clone and threw a punch at the android's head.

"Superman," Amazo said, but when it turned back into solid form, Superboy's fists remained inside the android's head and when it went solid, the head exploded.

The headless android the fell to the floor in one big clank. Robin and Red Robin rushed forward towards the android, "Help us disassemble him now!" Robin shouted as he and Red Robin went to work on disassembling the android.

"Dude," Kid Flash started, "The guy has no head," as he stood and watched Robin and Red Robin tried to take apart the android.

"Don't take any chances," the voice of their leader rang out, as he and Miss Martian arrived on scene. Aqualad knelt down to help Robin and Red Robin.

"Superboy!" Miss Martian exclaimed, seeing the teenaged clone, "are you alright?" she asked.

"I'm fine. Feeling the aster," Superboy said, looking towards Robin and Red Robin when he said that, earning a smile from the two.

"Hey where's Ivo?" Kid Flash asked.

Red Robin just sighed deeply, "Really?" he asked disappointed they let him escape, "Batman is going to chew us out. Should have just let Amazo vaporize us," he groaned.

 **MOUNT JUSTICE**

 **August 4, 13:06 EDT**

The team stood before four of the Justice League's members, Batman, Black Canary, Red Tornado and Green Arrow.

"The Amazo android is in pieces again, safely being analyzed at the two separate S.T.A.R. Labs, but Ivo escaped, and since he originated the tech, he's arguably more dangerous then the android," the leader of the teen heroes spoke.

"Capturing the professor will be a League priority," Black Canary responded, hands on her hips as she spoke.

"But we understand your mission encountered… _other_ complications," Martian Manhunter spoke up, crossing his arms as he spoke. After he spoke, the team exchanged looks at one another.

Batman then approached the team, "Complications… come with the job. Your ability to handle them has impressed the league."

"The _whole_ league?" Superboy asked hopefully. It didn't take the World's Greatest Detective to get who he was really talking about.

"Given time, yes. Kryptonians, as you know, have very hard heads," Batman answered, causing Superboy to smile slightly, "Of course, there's no shame in asking for help. That's why the league exists– because there are some problems even we can't handle individually," Batman continued.

"Please," scoffed Red Robin.

"If we needed help we'd never get the chance to ask," Robin chastised his mentor, as he pulled out the arrow from earlier, "Look familiar?" Robin asked.

"You were following us! Babysitting! You still don't trust us!" Red Robin continued, jumping in where is partner left off in chastising their mentor.

Batman took the arrow and then handed it to Green Arrow who approached the Dark Knight and inspected the arrow.

"We didn't follow you," Batman spoke calmly as Green Arrow pulled out his arrow and showed The Team that his arrow heads were different then the one they found.

"And that's not your arrow…" Robin and Red Robin spoke at the same time.

"But that means," Robin continued trying to put two and two together.

"Speedy!" Kid Flash exclaimed excitedly.

"He has our backs" Aqualad added in with a grin.

"Souvenir!" Kid Flash sang, using his super speed to run over and grab the arrow from Green Arrow.

 **GOTHAM CITY**

 **August, 5 23:49**

The protégés of Batman patrolled the city they helped to protect. Robin was currently crouched on a gargoyle, while behind him, Red Robin was crouched on the corner of the building.

"Nice to have you back," Robin spoke to his partner, though keeping his eyes forward over the city, scoping out the city.

"I'm sorry," Red Robin replied. He had been spending a lot of nights at Barbara's with her and the Commish and leaving Robin alone with nightly patrols, though Robin was fine with it.

"Besides, Babs needs a break from kissing you good night all the time," his partner said as seriously as possible.

Red Robin lost his balance and fell backwards on to the roof of the building. Robin's laughter cackled through the air.

"Funny," Red Robin grumbled standing back up and getting on his perch.

 **Hey guys hoped you enjoyed this. Please if you have any episodes you wanna see from The Batman let me know and I'll see if I can do them soon. PM me any ideas or anything you guys may want to see in the future between Nathan and Barbara or anything else.**


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